Downing Street has held talks with Canada and Australia over a potential ban on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X.
Mr Musk’s site was drawn into controversy over concerns about its AI tool, Grok, being used to generate explicit images of women and children.
And now, Downing Street has been in discussions with other nations about a three-way joint response.
Australia and Canada are said to share Sir Keir Starmer’s worries about the “deepfake” issue.
Anthony Albanese, the Australian Prime Minister, said: “The fact that this tool was used so that people were using its image creation function through Grok is, I think, just completely abhorrent.
“It, once again, is an example of social media not showing social responsibility. Australians and indeed, global citizens deserve better.”
Canada and Australia (Prime Ministers of which are pictured left and right of Sir Keir Starmer) are said to share Sir Keir Starmer’s worries about the issue
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PA
The UK has threatened to go further and ban X entirely under online safety legislation if Mr Musk fails to remove a feature which allows explicit images to be made.
Such a move would risk infuriating the Trump administration, which has pushed back against the censorship of American tech companies abroad.
On Saturday, Mr Musk labelled Labour “fascist” and warned ministers simply “want any excuse for censorship” of his platform.
Anna Pauline Luna, a Republican Congresswoman allied with Mr Trump, has threatened to bring forward sanctions on Sir Keir and the UK should X be blocked.
Blocking the site would bring Britain into step with countries including Iran, North Korea, China and Russia.
But Government officials are said to believe coordinated action by multiple countries would send a strong message to Mr Musk.
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Government officials are said to believe coordinated action by multiple countries would send a strong message to Elon Musk
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REUTERS
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has pledged to back Ofcom if the regulator recommends a complete block on Britons accessing the popular social media plaform.
Writing for The Telegraph, she suggested MPs opposing a ban would be siding with those who support creating “sexually manipulated images” of women and children.
Her words echoed those directed at critics of the Online Safety Act like Nigel Farage – who was accused of “being on the side of people like Jimmy Savile” simply for raising concerns.
“This is a moment for MPs on all sides of the House to stand up for decency and call out platforms which allow explicit, degrading and illegal content,” she wrote.
“It’s time to choose a side. They can either support the action we are taking under the Online Safety Act or they can ally with those who think the creation and publication of sexually manipulated images of women and children is acceptable.”
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has vowed to back Ofcom if it decided to block X | PAHer comments appeared directed at Mr Farage, who has called the Grok feature “horrible in every way, distasteful, sick” – but opposes banning the platform.
Though on Saturday, David Lammy said US Vice President JD Vance agreed that Grok’s use was “entirely unacceptable” when the pair met.
The Deputy Prime Minister discussed the matter with his American counterpart on a trip to Washington DC.
He told The Guardian: “I think he recognised the very seriousness with which images of women and children could be manipulated in this way, and he recognised how despicable, unacceptable, that is and I found him sympathetic to that position.”
Ofcom is expected to announce its recommended course of action within days.
