By Linet Amuli - Reporter
Kenya, January 10 2026 - Governments around the world are beginning to restrict access to Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot, signalling a tougher stance on artificial intelligence tools amid growing concerns over harmful and sexualised content.
Indonesia has become the first country to temporarily block Grok, citing the risk of AI-generated pornographic material circulating online. The decision reflects a broader global push by regulators, from Europe to Asia, who have criticised the chatbot and, in some cases, opened inquiries into its content moderation practices.
Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Ministry said the move was taken to protect citizens from serious digital threats, including the creation and spread of non-consensual sexual deepfakes. In a statement, Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said such practices represent a violation of human rights, personal dignity, and digital security. The ministry has also summoned officials from X, the social media platform associated with Grok, to discuss the issue.
The block comes amid increasing pressure on xAI, the startup behind Grok, after reports emerged that the tool had produced sexualised content due to safeguard failures. In response, xAI said it was restricting image generation and editing features to paying subscribers as it works to strengthen its protections and prevent misuse.
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Musk has defended the platform, saying users who generate illegal material using Grok would face the same consequences as if they had uploaded illegal content directly. However, the controversy has continued to attract regulatory attention. When Reuters sought comment, xAI responded with what appeared to be an automated message dismissing criticism, while X did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
Indonesia’s action is particularly significant given the country’s strict online content regulations. As the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia enforces laws that ban the sharing of material deemed obscene, and authorities have previously blocked platforms that failed to comply with local standards.
Beyond Indonesia, regulators in other regions have voiced concern over the rapid expansion of generative AI tools and their potential to produce harmful or illegal content. European Union authorities have pressed Grok’s platform provider, X (formerly Twitter), to retain internal documents and data related to the AI tool as part of their ongoing scrutiny of sexualised images being circulated online. While no other country has yet announced a formal block of Grok, the growing scrutiny suggests that more restrictions could follow if companies fail to demonstrate effective safeguards.
As governments grapple with how to regulate powerful AI systems, Indonesia’s decision may mark a turning point. It highlights a shift from criticism and investigation toward direct action, raising the prospect that access to Grok and similar AI tools could increasingly depend on how well companies address content risks and comply with national laws.
