Is one of the world’s most powerful tech moguls really “committing crimes” with his social platform? The battle between Ed Davey and Elon Musk just set the stage for a new showdown over online safety, free speech, and the deep dangers lurking in the digital shadows.

As the Liberal Democrats gathered for their annual conference in Bournemouth, party leader Sir Ed Davey dropped a bombshell: he’s demanding the UK’s regulator Ofcom take direct action against Elon Musk, targeting the billionaire’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), for allegedly allowing serious criminal content to spread unchecked. According to Davey, X is showing disturbing adverts, including those linked to paedophile imagery, self-harm, and grooming – a claim that’s as shocking as it is urgent. He warns that Musk should be held personally responsible, pointing to what he sees as blatant breaches of the newly-enforced Online Safety Act.

Now, if you’ve missed it, the Online Safety Act is the UK’s most significant attempt yet to force internet giants to clean up their platforms. Enacted earlier this year, the law demands strict age checks and hits companies with massive fines if they don’t swiftly remove illegal material – all with the goal of protecting children from the dangers of the digital world. But tech companies, especially those across the pond, are pushing back hard. Musk himself blasted the law, accusing regulators of suppressing free speech and calling Ofcom’s enforcement “heavy-handed.”

Sir Ed, however, is having none of it. He claims Musk has “taken away the child safety team” at X, leaving the door wide open for dangerous and illegal content. In a fiery interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Davey doubled down: “Ofcom should go after him. The laws are there. What his business is doing is against the law because it is disgusting.” But this isn’t just about what’s on X – it’s also about Musk’s influence over public discourse. The latest flashpoint? Musk’s remote appearance at the controversial “Unite the Kingdom” rally in London, where he railed against uncontrolled migration and issued ominous warnings about impending violence. Davey slammed Musk for “inciting violence” and called for immediate sanctions, only for Musk to fire back and call Davey a “craven coward.”

The feud is now spilling over into Parliament, with the Lib Dems planning to invoke a rarely-used motion to summon Musk before MPs – a move that could force him to answer for his platform’s policies and rhetoric under the glare of the Commons. Davey is gearing up to use his keynote speech to torch Musk’s motives, questioning whether the billionaire’s crusade is about free speech at all, or simply unchecked power and profit. “He just believes in free speech for people who agree with him,” Davey will argue, painting Musk as someone who ducks responsibility for real-world harm.

Meanwhile, other UK politicians are treading carefully. Conservative shadow chancellor Mel Stride condemned Musk’s words at the rally but stopped short of supporting legal action, noting he didn’t believe any laws had been broken. The nation – and the world – is now watching to see if Ofcom or Parliament will actually step in, or if this will just be another headline-grabbing spat in the endless war between Silicon Valley and government regulators. For now, the pressure is on for an AI generated newscast about Elon Musk, X, and the future of online safety – and this story is far from over.