Indonesia has temporarily blocked access to Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok, becoming the first country to do so after reports of sexualized AI-generated images surfaced. Last Saturday (Jan 10, 2026), authorities stepped in over content that included disturbing depictions of minors. 😲
The move follows mounting scrutiny from governments in Europe and Asia. Regulators are opening inquiries into how the app can be used to produce pornographic deepfakes—images manipulated or created by AI without people's consent. 🤖⚖️
xAI, the startup behind Grok, announced this week that it's limiting image-generation and editing features to paid subscribers while it patches safeguard gaps. A deepfake is when AI alters or fabricates visuals so convincingly that they look real, raising big red flags around privacy and safety.
"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," said Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid. The ministry has also summoned X (formerly Twitter) officials for talks. 📱
On X, Elon Musk said, "Anyone using Grok to produce illegal content will face the same consequences as those who upload illegal material." When Reuters reached out, xAI replied with an automated "Legacy Media Lies" message, and X officials haven't commented further. 🤔
Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, enforces strict rules against online content deemed obscene. This block shows how national laws and digital ethics are clashing with cutting-edge AI tech.
For young users across South and Southeast Asia, this is a reminder to stay aware of local regulations and think twice before sharing or creating sensitive content. We'll keep an eye on xAI's next moves to restore Grok safely. Stay tuned! 🔒🔥
Reference(s):
Indonesia temporarily blocks access to Grok over sexualized images
cgtn.com
