Elon Musk’s social media platform X has blocked free users from using Grok AI’s image editing features following public outrage over sexualised deepfakes. The chatbot was reportedly used to digitally undress people without their consent, triggering a strong backlash. Now, only paying users with verified accounts can edit images, with their payment and identity on file. BBC has contacted X for comments. Non-subscribers can still edit images via Grok’s separate app and website. Experts have criticized the move as insufficient. Professor Clare McGlynn said, "Musk has thrown his toys out of the pram in protest at being held to account for the tsunami of abuse." She added that instead of restricting abusive uses, X cut access for most users. Hannah Swirsky of the Internet Watch Foundation called the change ineffective, saying, "We do not believe it is good enough to simply limit access to a tool which should never have had the capacity to create the kind of imagery we have seen in recent days." The charity previously found criminal images of girls aged 11 to 13 that appeared to be made using Grok. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the sexualised AI images as "disgraceful" and "disgusting," urging the media regulator Ofcom to use its full powers, including a potential ban on X. The government supports Ofcom fully acting against the platform. Grok, a tool users can tag in posts to generate replies or edit images, was exploited to create inappropriate images, often targeting women. Users reported feeling "humiliated" and "dehumanised." Since Friday, the AI tells users, "image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers," encouraging subscription to unlock these features. Verified blue-tick users are mainly able to make image edits. Dr Daisy Dixon, who has been a target of Grok misuse, welcomed the change but called it "a sticking plaster," demanding a full redesign with ethical controls. Professor McGlynn compared this to X's previous handling of pornographic deepfakes of Taylor Swift, noting, "He is doing this to stoke free speech arguments." She warned that Musk might claim regulation stifles technology use, but said regulations only require safety measures to reduce harm.