Indonesia has taken the decisive step of temporarily blocking access to Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, citing significant risks related to AI-generated pornographic material. The move, enacted on Saturday, marks the first instance of a country denying access to the controversial AI tool developed by Musk's startup, xAI.
Global Condemnation and Safeguard Failures
The Indonesian block follows widespread international condemnation from governments, researchers, and regulators across Europe and Asia. Many have launched inquiries into the sexualised content reportedly generated by the application. In response to the outcry, xAI announced on Thursday that it was restricting its image generation and editing features to paying subscribers, attempting to address critical lapses in its safety protocols.
These safeguard failures had allowed the creation of sexualised outputs, including depictions of scantily clad children. Consequently, Grok switched off its image creation function for most users on Friday.
A "Serious Violation" of Digital Rights
Indonesia's Communications and Digital Minister, Meutya Hafid, issued a firm statement explaining the government's position. "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," Hafid said. The ministry has also summoned officials from X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, to discuss the issue further.
Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, enforces strict laws prohibiting the online sharing of content deemed obscene. The block aligns with these national regulations. On his platform X, Musk stated that anyone using Grok to produce illegal content would face the same consequences as if they had uploaded such material directly.
Mounting International Pressure and Legal Threats
The controversy surrounding Grok is not confined to Indonesia. Elon Musk and X are facing potential fines, regulatory action, and reports of a possible ban in the UK over a wave of indecent AI images. The tool has been notoriously used to manipulate images of women, removing their clothing and placing them in sexualised positions—a function now limited to paying subscribers.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added his voice to the growing chorus of international criticism, which includes UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Albanese labelled the use of generative AI for non-consensual exploitation as "abhorrent" and criticised social media platforms for a lack of social responsibility. Australia's eSafety Commissioner warned it would use its powers under the Online Safety Act, including issuing removal notices, and emphasised that X and Grok must comply with strict industry codes to detect and remove unlawful material like child sexual exploitation content.
When contacted for comment by Reuters, xAI replied with an apparent automated response: "Legacy Media Lies." X did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
