Malaysia and Indonesia are the first nations to block Grok, an AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI company, due to concerns over its misuse in creating sexually explicit images without consent. This action comes amid increasing global scrutiny on generative AI tools that can produce realistic content, raising worries about the inadequacy of current safeguards.
Grok, accessible through Musk’s social media platform X, has faced criticism for generating manipulated images, including sexualized depictions of individuals, including women and children. While Grok recently restricted image generation for non-paying users following a global outcry, critics argue that this measure did not fully resolve the issue.
Authorities in Indonesia and Malaysia expressed concerns about the proliferation of fake pornographic content, particularly involving women and minors, through Grok. Indonesia temporarily blocked access to the chatbot on Saturday, followed by Malaysia on Sunday, citing the violation of human rights, dignity, and citizens’ safety in the digital realm.
The Indonesian government emphasized the need to protect vulnerable groups from AI-generated fake pornographic content. They pointed out Grok’s lack of effective safeguards to prevent the creation and dissemination of such content using real photos of Indonesian residents, which could lead to privacy violations and harm individuals psychologically, socially, and reputationally.
In Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission imposed a temporary ban on Grok due to its repeated misuse in generating obscene and non-consensual images, particularly concerning women and minors. The regulator noted that demands for stronger safeguards from X Corp. and xAI were primarily reliant on user reporting mechanisms, leading to the current restrictive measures until enhanced protections are implemented.
Launched in 2023 on X, Grok allows users to engage in conversations and utilize an image generator feature called Grok Imagine. This feature includes a “spicy mode” for generating adult content. The restrictions in Southeast Asia coincide with increasing scrutiny of Grok in the EU, UK, India, and France.
The UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, has initiated a formal investigation into Grok’s compliance with its obligations to safeguard UK residents from illegal content. Concerns have been raised about Grok-generated images potentially constituting pornography or child sexual abuse material, prompting the need for a thorough examination into the chatbot’s practices.
Canada has not considered banning X, according to AI Minister Evan Solomon, who stated that discussions on the deepfake controversy are ongoing within the government.
This proactive stance by Malaysia and Indonesia reflects the global concern over AI misuse and the urgent need for robust safeguards to protect individuals from harmful content generated through advanced technologies.
