Malaysia and Indonesia Block Musk’s Grok Over Sexually Explicit Deepfakes
Malaysia and Indonesia Block Musk’s Grok Over Sexually Explicit Deepfakes
Malaysia and Indonesia have blocked access to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, citing its use in creating sexually explicit deepfake images.
Grok, which operates on Musk’s X platform, allows users to generate and edit images. However, authorities say users have increasingly misused the tool to manipulate photos of real people, making them appear in revealing outfits without consent.
Malaysia and Indonesia Block Musk’s Grok Over Sexually Explicit Deepfakes. Photo Courtesy
Both governments warned that the technology poses serious risks, including the creation of pornographic content involving women and children. The move makes Malaysia and Indonesia the first countries globally to ban the AI tool.
Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Commission said it had earlier issued notices to X after detecting repeated misuse of Grok. According to the regulator, the platform failed to address the core design risks and instead focused on user reporting mechanisms.
“As long as effective safeguards are absent, Grok will remain blocked,” the commission said, urging the public to report harmful online content.
Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Affairs Minister, Meutya Hafid, said generating sexually explicit images using AI violates human dignity, human rights, and online safety. The ministry has demanded clarification from X regarding Grok’s safeguards.
Indonesia has taken a hard stance against online pornography in recent years, banning platforms such as Pornhub and OnlyFans.
Several Indonesian users said the platform failed to protect them. Kirana Ayuningtyas, a wheelchair user and content creator, discovered that someone had prompted Grok to alter her photo to show her wearing a bikini.
“Reporting the images only spread them further,” she said, adding that the experience was deeply distressing.
The Grok platform has not responded to requests for comment. Musk previously said critics of X use safety concerns as an excuse for censorship.
Pressure is also mounting in the UK. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has backed calls to restrict access to X for failing to comply with online safety laws. Media regulator Ofcom is expected to decide on possible action soon.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined global leaders in condemning AI-generated sexualised images, calling them “disgraceful” and “disgusting”.
