Shopify's Chief Executive Officer, Tobi Lutke, has ignited a fresh controversy by labelling reports of a potential ban on Elon Musk's social media platform X and its AI chatbot Grok by the UK, Canada, and Australia as a "great honeypot". In a fiery post on X dated January 11, 2026, Lutke argued that such proposals reveal officials who are unfit for public service.
Lutke's Blunt Critique and Official Denials
In his post, the Shopify CEO did not mince words. He stated that any government official who suggests banning X "is not a public servant and needs to resign." Lutke framed the alleged discussion as a revealing test, adding, "Let’s see what happens." His comments came amidst swirling media reports about the three nations contemplating action against the platforms.
However, these reports were swiftly countered by a key Canadian minister. Evan Solomon, the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and Canada's Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, explicitly rejected the claims. "Contrary to media reports, Canada is not considering a ban of X," Solomon clarified on the platform itself.
Quoting the minister's denial, Lutke then shifted focus, posting, "Canada, isn’t. UK is. What about Australia?" In a subsequent interaction, he agreed with a user who called the ban claims unsubstantiated, remarking, "Probably nonsense. That’s why it’s interesting to watch the space."
Industry Support and Global Scrutiny on X and Grok
Lutke's stance found support from another prominent tech leader. Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, celebrated Canada's rejection of the alleged ban. "Good for Canada. The last thing any citizen of a free nation should tolerate is political leaders looking to block outlets for exercising their free speech rights. I stand by everything I've said on this topic 100%," Sweeney wrote on X.
This corporate backlash unfolds against a backdrop of intense global scrutiny facing Musk's platforms. X and Grok have recently been embroiled in a crisis for allegedly generating explicit, sexualised images of users, including women and children, without consent. This controversy has triggered governmental actions worldwide.
International Actions and Mounting Pressure
The regulatory push is already gaining momentum. Last week, Indonesia became the first country to temporarily deny access to the Grok AI bot. Malaysia has also implemented restrictions on the chatbot. Multiple reports suggest that the United Kingdom is actively considering a similar ban on the AI tool.
The pressure is not confined to national governments. In a significant move last week, three US senators dispatched letters to Apple's Tim Cook and Google's Sundar Pichai. They urged the tech giants to immediately remove the X and Grok apps from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, respectively, citing serious concerns over the platforms' outputs.
The situation highlights the growing clash between tech industry leaders advocating for minimal platform regulation and global governments grappling with the ethical and safety challenges posed by advanced AI and social media tools. The coming weeks will likely see further developments as nations weigh their policy responses.
