American tech billionaire Elon Musk has harshly criticised the British government, calling it „fascist“ on his social network X (formerly Twitter). He was responding to media reports that more than 12,000 people have been arrested in the UK in recent years in connection with comments and speeches on the internet. Musk's statement immediately sparked international attention and reopened the debate on the limits of free speech in the digital space.

„Why is the UK government so fascist?“ Musk wrote on the X network. He said British authorities are abusing hate speech laws and online safety to suppress free speech. However, British authorities defend themselves by saying that the crackdown is primarily aimed at cases of threats, harassment, incitement to violence or the dissemination of extremist content.

Tensions between Musk and London have also increased significantly in recent days over artificial intelligence Grok, developed by Musk's company xAI and which is integrated into the X platform. Grok has been criticized for its ability to generate realistic, often sexually explicit images of real people, including women and minors. The British government has called the practice unacceptable and has indicated that X could face stiff sanctions if it does not take stricter measures.

According to the British media, the government is considering using powers under the Online Safety Act, which allows the regulator Ofcom to impose heavy fines or, in extreme cases, block the platform in the country. Technology minister Liz Kendall said merely restricting some of Grok's features to paid users was „inadequate and insulting“ to victims of AI abuse.

Musk has strongly opposed the moves, claiming that the British government is going down the road of censorship. He also points out that other technology companies offer similar tools without facing the same pressure. Some US politicians have backed Musk's words, warning that the UK is moving away from traditional democratic values.

The dispute between Elonen Musk and the British authorities is thus not just a personal skirmish, but a symbol of a broader global conflict between tech giants and states seeking to regulate content, artificial intelligence and the limits of free speech in the digital age.

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