Malaysia, Indonesia become first to block Musk's Grok over sexually explicit AI images
Kuala Lumpur (AP): Malaysia and Indonesia have become the first countries to block Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk's xAI, after authorities said it was being misused to generate sexually explicit and non-consensual images.
The moves reflect growing global concern over generative AI tools that can produce realistic images, sound and text, while existing safeguards fail to prevent their abuse. The Grok chatbot, which is accessed through Musk's social media platform X, has been criticized for generating manipulated images, including depictions of women in bikinis or sexually explicit poses, as well as images involving children.
Regulators in the two Southeast Asian nations said existing controls were not preventing the creation and spread of fake pornographic content, particularly involving women and minors. Indonesia's government temporarily blocked access to Grok on Saturday, followed by Malaysia on Sunday.
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"The government sees non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity and the safety of citizens in the digital space,” Indonesia's Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said in a statement Saturday.
The ministry said the measure was intended to protect women, children and the broader community from fake pornographic content generated using AI.
Initial findings showed that Grok lacks effective safeguards to stop users from creating and distributing pornographic content based on real photos of Indonesian residents, Alexander Sabar, director general of digital space supervision, said in a separate statement. He said such practices risk violating privacy and image rights when photos are manipulated or shared without consent, causing psychological, social and reputational harm.
In Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission ordered a temporary restriction on Grok on Sunday after what it said was “repeated misuse” of the tool to generate obscene, sexually explicit and non-consensual manipulated images, including content involving women and minors.
The regulator said notices issued this month to X Corp. and xAI demanding stronger safeguards drew responses that relied mainly on user reporting mechanisms.
“The restriction is imposed as a preventive and proportionate measure while legal and regulatory processes are ongoing,” it said, adding that access will remain blocked until effective safeguards are put in place.
Launched in 2023, Grok is free to use on X. Users can ask it questions on the social media platform and tag posts they've directly created or replies to posts from other users. Last summer the company added an image generator feature, Grok Imagine, that included a so-called “spicy mode” that can generate adult content.
The Southeast Asian restrictions come amid mounting scrutiny of Grok elsewhere, including in the European Union, Britain, India and France. Grok last week limited image generation and editing to paying users following a global backlash over sexualized deepfakes of people, but critics say it did not fully address the problem.
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India's Gen Z is full of creativity, says PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India's Gen Z is full of creativity and with innovative ideas, energy and purpose, the country's youth is at the forefront of nation-building.
Addressing the concluding session of Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) here in which he interacted with youngsters from across India and abroad, Modi said this initiative, in a short span of time, has grown into a significant platform where young people actively engage in shaping the nation's direction.
"Every year on January 12, we celebrate the National Youth Day in honour of Swami Vivekananda, whose life and teachings continue to inspire us. Drawing inspiration from him, the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue was established," he said.
Modi said the central government rolled out successive schemes with a clear focus on the youth and the startup revolution truly gathered momentum in India subsequently.
"With innovative ideas, energy and purpose, Yuva Shakti is at the forefront of nation-building," he said.
The prime minister said India is experiencing remarkable growth in the Orange Economy, rooted in culture, content and creativity.
"Over the past decade, the series of reforms we began has now turned into a Reform Express. At the heart of these reforms is our Yuva Shakti," he said.
The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue is a national platform designed to facilitate structured engagement between India's youth and national leadership.
The dialogue, being held from January 9 to 12, has witnessed participation from over 50 lakh youth across the country at various levels.
The young leaders converging at the national-level championship have been selected through a rigorous, merit-based three-stage selection process, comprising a nationwide digital quiz, an essay challenge and state-level vision presentations.
