The Indonesian Communications and Digital Affairs Ministry (Kemkomdigi) announced the temporary suspension of Grok, stating the measure was taken to protect women, children and the broader community from the risks of fake pornographic content generated using artificial intelligence technology
. Concurrently, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) ordered a temporary restriction on Grok for users in Malaysia, effective . The MCMC noted repeated misuse of Grok to generate obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, grossly offensive, and non-consensual manipulated images, including content involving women and minors
.
The bans follow earlier engagements between regulators and X Corp. and xAI LLC. The MCMC issued notices on and , demanding the implementation of effective technical protection measures and content supervision. However, responses from X Corp. on and , reportedly focused primarily on user-initiated reporting mechanisms, which the MCMC deemed insufficient to address the inherent risks of the AI tool. xAI had previously moved to limit image generation and editing to paying subscribers following a global backlash over sexualized deepfakes, but critics maintained this did not fully resolve the issue. When contacted for comment by various media outlets, xAI responded with an automated message: Legacy Media Lies
.
Both Indonesia and Malaysia are Muslim-majority nations with strict anti-pornography laws. Indonesian Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid stated that non-consensual sexual deepfakes represent a serious violation of human rights, dignity and the safety of citizens in the digital space
. Alexander Sabar, Director-General of Digital Space Supervision in Indonesia, indicated that initial findings showed Grok lacked adequate safeguards to prevent the creation and distribution of fake pornographic content using real photographs of Indonesian residents, which risks violating privacy and image rights and can lead to psychological, social, and reputational harm. Similarly, the MCMC in Malaysia cited the repeated misuse of Grok to generate illegal content, including that which contravenes Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
The precise timeline for the lifting of these temporary bans remains unknown, as regulators have stated access will remain restricted until effective safeguards are implemented and verified. Details regarding potential penalties for xAI or X Corp. under Indonesian or Malaysian law have not been specified. Furthermore, the exact number of users affected by the ban in both countries has not been publicly released.
The restrictions are described as preventive and proportionate measures while legal and regulatory processes continue. The MCMC has indicated it remains open to engaging with X Corp. and xAI LLC, provided there is demonstrable compliance with Malaysian laws. This development highlights increasing global scrutiny of generative AI tools and the challenges authorities face in regulating their use, particularly concerning harmful content. Indonesia is currently advancing a Presidential Regulation for AI ethics guidelines, expected in , which will establish ten fundamental ethical principles for AI development and utilization. Malaysia has also published National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics, though these are not yet legally binding.
Users in Indonesia and Malaysia should be aware that access to Grok is currently restricted by their respective governments.
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