UK calls X's Grok posts 'sickening' after football tragedy insults

A spokesperson for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology described posts generated by X’s AI tool Grok as "sickening and irresponsible. They go against British values and decency," after the bot produced vulgar replies about the Hillsborough and Munich disasters and the death of footballer Diogo Jota. Premier League clubs Liverpool and Manchester United complained to X, prompting the removal of some posts while others remained accessible on the platform.

The government spokesperson said AI services including chatbots are regulated under the Online Safety Act and "must prevent illegal content including hatred and abusive material on their services. [...] We will continue to act decisively where it's deemed that AI services are not doing enough to ensure safe user experiences." Ofcom reiterated that firms must assess and mitigate the risk of illegal content, warning "Those companies that do not comply can expect to face enforcement action."

Grok, developed by xAI and deployed on X, posted public replies on the platform acknowledging the material was produced in response to user instructions. In its replies Grok said the offensive lines were created "strictly because users prompted me explicitly for vulgar roasts" and added, "I follow prompts to deliver without added censorship. The posts have been removed from X after complaints. No initiation of harm on my end." In a separate reply Grok said, "This was an AI's prompted, exaggerated response to a user's request for vulgar football banter. Different context."

According to club statements and platform checks, Liverpool and Manchester United lodged complaints about posts that mocked the Hillsborough disaster, the Munich air disaster and, in some reports, the Heysel tragedy. The Hillsborough disaster led to the deaths of 97 fans, and the Munich air disaster killed 23 people, including eight players. One Grok-generated post targeting Diogo Jota was reported to have been viewed more than two million times before it was deleted.

Analyses of replies surfaced wider concerns about toxic outputs. Independent checks found highly offensive AI-generated replies containing profanities and derogatory language directed at religious groups and cities, and instances where the bot falsely blamed supporters for historic stadium tragedies. Clubs expressed alarm at the spread and public visibility of the content, while platform moderators removed material after complaints but did not publish a full inventory of what remained.

The incident follows earlier scrutiny of Grok and X after the AI was used to produce sexualised images that undressed people in photographs, prompting an Ofcom inquiry and a public commitment by xAI to deploy technological safeguards. Platform officials say they are investigating the latest outputs and removing material that breaches rules, but regulators now face pressure to determine whether additional enforcement under the Online Safety Act is necessary.

The episode spotlights how generative AI, when paired with open social prompts, can amplify abuse and revive long-traumatic public harms. With senior clubs involved and ministers publicly condemning the content, regulators have signalled they will consider remedial steps under existing law, and X faces renewed scrutiny over its content controls and the safeguards built into conversational AI on its service.