A rumour suggesting the British government, alongside its close allies in Australia and Canada, would act to ban X, the Elon Musk-owned social media platform, after users began using its integrated artificial intelligence program to create deepfake images.

But the rumour appears limited, for now at least, to conversations between governments without firm action. However, the British government has previously warned it could take steps to restrict access to the platform — something the Trump administration has warned would draw the ire of American officials.

On Monday's Rebel Roundup livestream, hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and David Menzies weighed in after AI and Digital Innovation Minister Evan Solomon said the Liberals had no plans to block the app in Canada.

“It's completely logical for those in the mainstream media to want X evaporated,” said David, blasting legacy journalists who were quick to support the decision — while posting on the very platform they were condemning.

“That is competition for them. They want to go back to the dark old days, where you only got your information from the mainstream media,” he said, adding he can understand why the Liberal government would be “all about” the ban now that Musk owns the platform, unlike when it was previously under the control of Jack Dorsey, who oversaw a left-wing friendly form of “selective censorship.”

Stopping the censorship of free information isn't a priority for the Liberals, said Sheila, pointing to the party's efforts to advance “all kinds of pieces of censorship legislation — they've passed many and they're going to bring in more.”

For them, “Canadians being able to speak their mind” isn't the issue, she said. Instead, “perhaps we could appeal to them on the fact that we're in an effing trade with the Americans.”

Canada pursuing sanctions on Musk's social media platform would almost certainly trigger backlash from the Trump administration, Sheila explained, pointing to threats tariff and export threats made by the U.S. “towards countries with digital rules targeting U.S. tech.”

Further compounding the issue, Secretary of State Marco Rubio released the U.S. plan to combat censorship efforts around the world — “and Mark Carney just signalled that he's part of it,” Sheila continued.

“Could you imagine, at this delicate point in Canada-U.S. relations, the Carney Liberals banning X and what Rubio and Trump, how they would react?” replied David. “It's a non-starter. It is not going to happen, for that reason alone.”

However, “do not trust the Liberals,” retorted Sheila. “And never underestimate their stupidity on trade issues.”

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