Indonesia Becomes First Country to Block Elon Musk’s Grok AI

Indonesia has temporarily blocked access to Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok over concerns that it could generate pornographic and sexually exploitative content, making it the first country to restrict the tool. The decision follows growing criticism from governments, regulators, and researchers worldwide regarding the chatbot’s ability to produce explicit material.

The move comes after xAI, the company behind Grok, acknowledged flaws in its safety systems that allowed the creation of sexualised images, including content involving minors. In response, xAI announced it would limit image generation and editing features to paid users while working to improve safeguards.

Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Minister, Meutya Hafid, said the government considers non-consensual sexual deepfakes a serious breach of human rights, personal dignity, and digital security. Authorities have also called in representatives from X to discuss the issue.

Elon Musk stated on X that users who create illegal content with Grok would face the same penalties as those who upload unlawful material. However, xAI responded to media inquiries with what appeared to be an automated message, while X did not immediately comment.

Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, enforces strict laws against sharing content deemed obscene online. The ban followed Grok disabling its image creation feature for most users after public backlash over sexually explicit and violent images generated through the tool.

Concerns have also spread internationally. In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the misuse of AI to create non-consensual sexual content, calling it unethical and irresponsible. He joined leaders such as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in criticising the platform.

Australia’s eSafety Office reported a recent rise in complaints related to Grok-generated sexual imagery and warned it would take enforcement action under the Online Safety Act if necessary. The regulator stressed that X, Grok, and similar services are legally required to detect and remove child sexual exploitation and other illegal content.