X’s first quarterly report to Ofcom indicates that it reviewed UK reports of suspected illegal hate and terrorist content within the response-time commitments agreed with the regulator. That does not mean every report was handled within 24 hours, nor does it resolve Ofcom’s concerns about whether illegal material is being removed effectively.
What Ofcom’s first quarterly update says
In an update published on 14 October 2026, Ofcom said the data in X’s first quarterly report appeared to show improved response times. Performance fell within the agreed response-time windows for reports submitted through X’s dedicated UK illegal-content reporting tool.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ofcom has not published X’s exact average review time. The supported conclusion is therefore that X was within the agreed response timeframes, not that it achieved a particular figure below 24 hours.
Recommended Free Tools
What the 24-hour commitment actually covers
The commitment applies to UK reports of suspected illegal terrorist and hate content submitted through X’s dedicated reporting channel. It measures the time to review and assess a report, rather than guaranteeing that the content will be removed within that period.
#1 Best Overall
| Measure | Commitment | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Average review time | 24 hours | Mean review-and-assessment time calculated over three months |
| 48-hour backstop | At least 85% | At least 85% of the relevant reports must be reviewed and assessed within 48 hours during the same three-month period |
| Reporting period | 12 months | Quarterly performance reports are required throughout the monitoring period |
Because the 24-hour figure is a three-month mean, individual cases can take longer than 24 hours while the overall average remains within target. The separate 85% requirement prevents the mean from masking an excessive number of very slow reviews.
Why Ofcom is still dissatisfied
Ofcom distinguishes between responding quickly and achieving a lawful moderation outcome. Its October statement says it has “ongoing concerns” about the effectiveness of X’s response to taking down illegal hate and terror content. A report can be reviewed promptly yet result in no removal, a delayed removal or an outcome that Ofcom considers inadequate.
Rank #2
The regulator also received mixed reports about whether X is sustaining its commitment to engage with third-party experts to improve its reporting systems. Ofcom said it will scrutinise X’s submitted metrics and cross-check them against its own tests. It has told X that the performance must be maintained as a minimum, rather than achieved only in the first reporting quarter.
The commitments followed evidence from civil-society and expert organisations that people had reported suspected illegal hate and terrorism content but were often unclear about whether X had received or acted on those reports. Ofcom has said illegal hate and terror content was persisting on some large social-media services, with concerns heightened by recent hate-motivated crimes affecting the UK Jewish community.
Has Ofcom found that X broke the Online Safety Act?
No final breach finding has been issued. Ofcom’s investigation is continuing and will assess whether X complied with its duties under the Online Safety Act.
If Ofcom develops reasonable grounds to believe X failed to comply, the regulator’s next step would be a provisional view. X would then have a full opportunity to respond before Ofcom reached any final decision. The current quarterly result should therefore be treated as an interim monitoring outcome, not a legal clearance or a finding of non-compliance.
What X agreed to do beyond response times
- Submit quarterly performance data for 12 months.
- Engage experts to improve its reporting systems.
- Withhold UK access to accounts that X determines are operated by or on behalf of UK-proscribed terrorist organisations.
These measures sit alongside the timing commitments. Meeting the review windows does not by itself demonstrate that all of the other commitments are being delivered consistently.
Related changes involving pornography controls and Grok
The same Ofcom update reported that X had changed its service so pornography-labelled content is consistently restricted for accounts whose users have not completed age assurance. Ofcom narrowed the remaining part of that investigation to illegal-content and complaints/reporting duties while continuing to monitor whether age checks work effectively.
Best Value
Separately, SpaceXAI (formerly xAI) restricted UK IP addresses from viewing, generating or sharing pornography through standalone Grok image generation and blocked sexually explicit conversations for companion chatbots such as “Ani.” Those developments are related regulatory context; they are not evidence that X exceeded or failed its 24-hour review target.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the commitment fits the UK’s wider online-safety rules
Ofcom’s Online Safety Act framework requires in-scope services to assess illegal-content risks, put protective measures in place, keep records, provide reporting and complaints routes, and swiftly remove illegal content once they become aware of it. The framework identifies 18 categories of priority illegal content, including terrorism, child sexual exploitation and abuse, hate, harassment, intimate-image abuse, fraud, drugs, weapons, serious self-harm and cyberflashing.
X’s 24-hour measure addresses one operational question—how quickly reports from the dedicated UK channel are reviewed and assessed. It does not replace the broader duties covering risk management, reporting access, complaints handling, record-keeping or removal decisions.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What happens after the first quarterly report?
- Ofcom will examine the data supplied by X in detail rather than relying solely on the headline average.
- It will compare those figures with results from Ofcom’s own tests.
- The regulator will monitor whether X maintains the required performance through the rest of the 12-month quarterly-reporting period.
- Ofcom will continue assessing takedown effectiveness, complaints and reporting arrangements, and engagement with third-party experts.
- If the evidence supports it, Ofcom may issue a provisional view of non-compliance, allow X to respond, and then decide whether a final breach has occurred.
The practical significance of this first report is limited but clear: X appears to have met the agreed timing thresholds for the specified UK reporting channel in the first quarter. Whether it is effectively preventing and removing illegal hate and terrorist content remains under examination.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
