The AI tool Grok has been banned in Malaysia and Indonesia after authorities expressed issue with lack of steps taken by X to prevent users of the app from creating sexualised deepfakes.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs stated on the 10th of January, it temporarily blocked access to Grok “to protect women, children and the public from the risks of fake pornographic content” generated using AI technology.
In a post on X, Grok confirmed the ministry temporarily blocked access due to misuse of deepfake content and requested clarification from X regarding mitigation measures.
A day later, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) ordered a temporary restriction on access to Grok AI for users in the country, after what it described as “repeated misuse” of Grok to generate obscene, explicit and non-consensual manipulated images.
MCMC issued formal notices to X and xAI in early January demanding they implement “effective technical and moderation safeguards to prevent AI-generated content that may contravene Malaysian law”.
The agency, however, stated responses submitted by X relied primarily on user-initiated reporting mechanisms and failed to address inherent risks posed by the design and operation of the AI tool, which it “considers insufficient” to prevent harm or ensure legal compliance.
The ban on the chatbot in the two countries comes only days after xAI, which owns Grok, moved to limit image editing to paying customers following a backlash over users being able to generate sexual content.
Meanwhile, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner asked X for information about safeguards in place to prevent Grok’s misuse on its service and expressed concern about the use of the generative-AI system to generate content that may sexualise or exploit people.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: xAI
