Canada rules out ban on X amid international scrutiny over deepfake content, minister says

The federal government is not considering banning the social media platform X despite growing international concern over sexualized deepfake content generated by artificial intelligence, according to Canada’s minister responsible for AI policy.

Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon said early Sunday that reports suggesting Canada was weighing a ban were inaccurate. In a post on X, Solomon stated the government has no plans to prohibit the platform, which is owned by Elon Musk, even as it faces scrutiny abroad.

The clarification followed reporting by The Telegraph indicating the United Kingdom was seeking international support to address deepfake material linked to X’s chatbot, Grok. The report said Canada shared concerns raised by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the spread of sexually explicit AI-generated images.

U.K. media regulator Ofcom has launched an investigation into the matter, and under British law, the probe could lead to sanctions or a potential ban if violations are found. The issue has renewed debate in Canada over how governments should regulate rapidly advancing artificial intelligence tools without restricting access to major digital platforms.

In earlier comments on the controversy, Solomon pointed to federal legislation introduced late last year that would make the creation and distribution of sexual deepfakes a criminal offence. The proposed bill is part of Ottawa’s broader effort to update laws to address harms linked to artificial intelligence while preserving freedom of expression online.