KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities have moved to block access to Grok, the artificial-intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI and deployed on social media platform X, after widespread complaints that it was being used to generate explicit and harmful imagery. The decision comes amid a growing global backlash against the AI tool’s content-creation features.
The move also came after Indonesia blocked access to Grok, becoming the first country to take such action amid similar concerns about AI-generated pornographic and non-consensual deepfake content. Jakarta’s Communications and Digital Affairs Ministry said the move was intended to protect women, children and the broader community from the spread of sexually explicit deepfakes, and described non-consensual use of AI imagery as a serious violation of human rights and digital safety.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it took action after public reports that Grok had been used to manipulate images of women and minors — including digitally removing clothing — producing material officials called “obscene, grossly offensive or otherwise harmful.” Such conduct is a criminal offence under Section 233 of Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the regulator said.
“With the enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2025, all online platforms must take proactive measures to prevent the dissemination of harmful content,” MCMC said, stressing that even though X is not yet a licensed service provider in Malaysia, it remains responsible for ensuring safety for Malaysian users.
Authorities have also summoned representatives from X for discussions and said they will investigate individual users suspected of breaches. The regulator urged all platforms accessible in Malaysia to implement safeguards aligned with local laws, especially for AI-driven tools such as chatbots and image editors.
The move places Malaysia among several countries scrutinising Grok’s safety controls. Government probes and legal threats have also been announced by authorities in India and Europe over similar concerns about AI-generated sexualised content involving minors and non-consensual imagery.
MCMC’s action appears focused less on censoring technology than on enforcing existing laws and online safety standards, but critics say it underscores regulatory challenges posed by generative AI on global platforms.