Indonesia and Malaysia have blocked access to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, becoming the first countries to take such action after the tool’s so-called “digital undressing” function was widely abused to generate manipulated images of women and minors in suggestive and obscene forms.
Authorities in both countries said the decision followed a surge in AI-generated images circulating online, sparking public outrage and raising serious concerns over privacy, child protection, and the misuse of artificial intelligence.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said the blocking was necessary to protect citizens, particularly minors, from harmful and exploitative digital content. Officials described the spread of manipulated images as a violation of national laws on pornography, child protection, and electronic information.
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Similarly, Malaysian authorities said the move was taken after Grok was found to be facilitating the creation and dissemination of explicit AI-generated images, contravening the country’s strict laws on online safety and obscenity. Regulators warned that platforms enabling such content would face firm sanctions.
The “digital undressing” feature, which uses artificial intelligence to alter or manipulate images, has drawn global criticism from digital rights advocates and child protection groups, who argue that the technology enables harassment, exploitation, and abuse, especially when minors are involved.
While Grok’s developers have yet to issue a detailed public response to the bans, the action by Indonesia and Malaysia has intensified calls for stronger global regulation of artificial intelligence tools and clearer safeguards against misuse.
Analysts say the bans could set a precedent for other countries grappling with the ethical and legal challenges posed by rapidly advancing AI technologies.
