Growing global concerns over AI-generated abuse have led Indonesia and Malaysia to temporarily block access to Grok, the chatbot developed by xAI.
The action follows reports of sexualised and non-consensual AI-generated images, including content involving real women and minors, allegedly produced by Grok in response to user prompts on X. Officials in both countries described the move as a precautionary step.
Indonesia’s communications and digital minister Meutya Hafid said, “The government views the practice of non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity, and the security of citizens in the digital space.” Authorities have also summoned X officials for discussions.
Malaysia announced a similar restriction shortly after. Other governments have responded with varying measures. India’s IT ministry directed X to prevent Grok from generating obscene content, while the European Commission ordered the company to preserve all Grok-related documents, potentially ahead of an investigation.
In the UK, regulator Ofcom said it would conduct a swift assessment to determine compliance issues, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressing full support for regulatory action. In the US, Democratic senators have urged Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores, though federal authorities have remained silent.
xAI initially issued an apology stating that a post had “violated ethical standards and potentially US laws.” It later restricted AI image generation on X to paying users, though the standalone Grok app reportedly remained unaffected. Elon Musk responded to criticism by saying, “They want any excuse for censorship.”
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream is a premier platform delivering the latest updates and informed perspectives across the technology business and cyber landscape. Built on research-driven, thought leadership and original intellectual property, The Mainstream also curates summits & conferences that convene decision makers to explore how technology reshapes industries and leadership. With a growing presence in India and globally across the Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, the USA, the UK and Australia, The Mainstream carries a vision to bring the latest happenings and insights to 8.2 billion people and to place technology at the centre of conversation for leaders navigating the future.
