“`html
from the fighting-csam-is-censorship? dept
Table of Contents
So let me get this straight. The United States government spent years championing a ban on TikTok, rushed it through the Supreme Court with claims of grave national security threats, got a 9-0 ruling blessing government censorship of an entire platform used by 170 million Americans… and now it’s the US State Department thinking that it’s all cool to threaten the United Kingdom for considering similar action against X’s Grok chatbot over its generation of sexualized deepfake images, including those of children?
We all know that the US can be hypocritical, but this all seems a bit over the top.
Here’s what actually happened: the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom opened an investigation into whether X violated the country’s Online Safety Act by allowing Grok to create and distribute non-consensual intimate images (NCII). This isn’t some theoretical concern-as I detailed last week, Grok has been churning out sexualized images at an alarming rate, with users publicly generating ”undressing” content and worse, in manny cases targeting real women and girls. UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall told Parliament that Ofcom could impose fines up to £18 million or seek a court order to block X entirely if violations are found.
Enter Sarah B. Rogers, the Trump-appointed Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, who decided this was the perfect moment to threaten a close US ally. In an interview with GB News, Rogers declared:
I would say from America’s outlook … nothing is off the table when it comes to free speech.Let’s wait and see what Ofcom does and we’ll see what America does in response.
She went further, accusing the british government of wanting “the ability to curate a public square, to suppress political viewpoints it dislikes” and claiming that X has “a political valence that the British government is antagonistic to.”
This is weapons-grade nonsense, and rogers knows it.
The UK isn’t investigating X as they don’t like Elon Musk’s politics.They’re investigating as Grok is being used to create sexualized deepfakes of real peopel without consent, including minors. Unless Rogers is prepared to stand up and argue that generating non-consensual sexualized imagery
TikTok Ban in the UK: Current Status
As of January 16, 2026, a complete ban of TikTok in the UK has not been implemented, though the UK government continues to assess the risks associated with the platform and has imposed restrictions on its use by government employees.
Concerns surrounding TikTok stem from its ownership by ByteDance, a Chinese company, and potential data security risks and influence from the Chinese government.The UK government has focused on mitigating risks related to data access and potential espionage, rather than an outright ban. In April 2023,the UK government banned TikTok on government-issued devices,citing security concerns. Government statement
the UK’s approach differs from that of the United States, where there have been more aggressive attempts to force a sale of TikTok to a non-Chinese company or face a nationwide ban. The UK has favored a more cautious approach, focusing on risk management and data protection measures.
UK Government Restrictions on TikTok
The UK government’s primary concern is the potential for the Chinese government to access user data and influence the content users see.
Specifically, in April 2023, the Cabinet Office issued guidance prohibiting the use of TikTok on government-issued devices, including smartphones and tablets. Cabinet Office Guidance This ban extends to devices used by ministers, civil servants, and contractors. The rationale behind the ban is to protect sensitive government facts from potential compromise.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has also conducted investigations into TikTok’s data handling practices. In February 2024, the ICO announced a provisional finding that tiktok breached UK data protection law by failing to adequately protect the personal data of children. ICO Provisional Finding
Comparison to the United States TikTok debate
The debate surrounding TikTok in the United States has been substantially more intense, with legislative efforts aimed at a complete ban or forced sale.
In March 2024, President Biden signed a bill into law that gives ByteDance approximately nine months to divest its ownership of tiktok to a non-adversarial company, or face a nationwide ban. White House Statement This legislation, known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, reflects concerns about national security and data privacy.
While the UK has acknowledged similar concerns, it has opted for a more targeted approach, focusing on mitigating risks within government operations and through data protection regulations, rather than pursuing a full-scale ban. X (formerly Twitter) has also been a platform for discussion regarding these concerns.X (formerly Twitter)
TikTok’s Response and future Outlook
TikTok has consistently denied allegations of sharing user data with the Chinese government and has implemented measures to address data security concerns.
ByteDance has invested heavily in Project Texas, a $1.5 billion initiative aimed at storing US user data on servers located in the United States and managed by Oracle. TikTok Newsroom – project Texas this project is intended to address concerns about data access and security. Though, these measures have not fully alleviated concerns among lawmakers in both the US and the UK.
The future of TikTok in the UK remains uncertain.The government is likely to continue monitoring the platform’s data handling practices and assessing the evolving geopolitical landscape. Further restrictions or regulations could be implemented if concerns persist.
