Indonesia has temporarily blocked Grok AI over concerns regarding the creation of non-consensual deepfake pornography.

Grok, the AI assistant of Elon Musk's xAI, has been repeatedly critcized by different governments not just because of deepfakes, but also because of its tendencies to share false information and harmful rhetoric.

Indonesia Temporarily Blocks Grok AI

According to a report by ANTARA News, the announcement was made by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, which cited the need to protect women and children from deepfake pornography.

Formal summons have also been issued to X (formerly Twitter), which is also owned by Musk.

In a statement, Minister Meutya Hafid said that "The government views non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity, and citizens’ security in the digital space."

The government is now likewise requiring digital platforms in Indonesia to prove that they have sufficient safeguards that protect users against illegal and harmful content.

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Grok AI's Deepfake Controversies

Indonesia is not the only country that is fighting back against Grok over its tendency to create deepfake pornography, especially those that involve children.

According to a report by CNBC, India, Malaysia, and the European Union (EU) have all launched regulatory probes following an incident of Grok generating explicit deepfake images.

"This is illegal. This is appalling. This is disgusting. This is how we see it, and this has no place in Europe," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said at a press conference.

The same is also being done by the United Kingdom. Specifically, its media watchdog has announced that it already requested information from X regarding the issue.

As for the United States, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) has already called on both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

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