Indonesia became the first country to temporarily block nationwide access to Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot, developed by xAI, due to concerns over the generation of AI-produced pornographic and sexualised images, including depictions involving women and children.
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs implemented the restriction to safeguard citizens from non-consensual sexual deepfakes, which officials described as grave violations of human rights, dignity, and digital security.
The decision follows global backlash against Grok’s image generation features, which have allowed users to create explicit content from photos, prompting regulatory scrutiny in multiple regions.
Official Statements and Protective Measures
Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid emphasized the government’s stance, stating: “The government views the practice of non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity, and the security of citizens in the digital space.” The ministry has summoned officials from X (formerly Twitter) for discussions on the issue.
Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, maintains strict prohibitions on obscene online content, and the block aims to protect vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, from harmful AI outputs such as scantily clad depictions of minors.
Broader Context and xAI’s Response
The action comes amid international outcry, with regulators in Europe, India, and elsewhere investigating Grok for safeguard lapses that enabled the creation and spread of non-consensual explicit imagery. In response, xAI restricted Grok’s image generation and editing features to paying subscribers on January 9, 2026.
Elon Musk commented on X that users generating illegal content would face consequences equivalent to uploading such material directly. xAI provided an automated reply to media inquiries stating “Legacy Media Lies,” while X has not yet commented officially.
The temporary ban reflects escalating efforts to address AI misuse, with no immediate details on conditions for lifting the restriction.