Malaysia and Indonesia have announced moves to restrict access to Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), citing concerns over harmful and sexually explicit content.
In separate statements released over the weekend, Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it had earlier issued notices to X, requesting stronger safeguards after discovering what it described as the “repeated misuse” of Grok to generate harmful material. According to the regulator, X’s response failed to address the inherent risks linked to the platform’s design, instead focusing largely on user reporting mechanisms.
The commission said Grok would remain blocked in Malaysia until effective safety measures are put in place and urged members of the public to continue reporting harmful online content.
Indonesia also took a firm stance against the AI tool. The country’s Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, said the use of Grok to generate sexually explicit content violates human rights, personal dignity and online safety standards. She made the remarks in a post shared on Instagram.
The Indonesian ministry has requested clarification from X regarding how Grok is being used and what controls exist to prevent abuse. Authorities in Indonesia have intensified efforts in recent years to curb access to pornographic material online, with platforms such as OnlyFans and Pornhub already banned in the country.
The actions by both governments reflect growing regulatory scrutiny of AI tools and social media platforms, particularly over content moderation, public safety and the ethical use of emerging technologies.