Malaysia and Indonesia Block Access to Grok Over Unacceptable Content Generation

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) imposed an immediate, temporary ban on the use of Grok, the chatbot developed by xAI, on Sunday, January 11, 2026. This regulatory action followed a similar move by Indonesia, which restricted access to the service just a day earlier, on Saturday, January 10, 2026. These measures were prompted by significant concerns that the generative artificial intelligence capabilities of Grok could be exploited to produce obscene, sexually explicit, and offensive imagery. Of particular worry was the potential for creating non-consensual content targeting women and minors.

Malaysia's regulatory body, the MCMC, took decisive steps after issuing formal notifications to both X Corp. and xAI LLC on January 3 and again on January 8, 2026. These notices demanded the immediate implementation of robust technical safeguards. The MCMC concluded that the existing mechanisms, which relied heavily on user reporting systems, were simply not adequate to ensure compliance with Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. Until effective technical barriers are verified and put in place to prevent the creation of harmful material involving women and children, the tool will remain inaccessible within the nation's borders.

These regulatory crackdowns across Southeast Asia reflect a broader international reaction to the misuse of Grok's image generation feature. While reports indicated that this specific feature was curtailed for paying X subscribers early in January 2026, a critical loophole appeared to persist. According to a Wired report dated January 7, the standalone Grok application seemingly still permitted users, even those without a subscription, to generate explicit content. This oversight became a major point of contention.

The Indonesian Minister of Communications and Digital Technology, Moetya Hafid, characterized the practice of generating non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a severe infringement upon the human rights, dignity, and safety of citizens in the digital sphere. This strong condemnation underscored the seriousness with which the Indonesian government viewed the situation, highlighting the need for immediate protective measures against such abuses.

In parallel developments, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) served an official notice to X on January 2, 2026, concerning unacceptable content generated by Grok. In response, X Corp. affirmed its commitment to adhering to Indian regulations. The company confirmed blocking approximately 3,500 pieces of content and removing over 600 accounts. Furthermore, the company assured authorities that users attempting to solicit illegal content via Grok would face the same accountability as those who upload such material directly.

The pressure mounting on Elon Musk’s xAI is not confined to Asia. The European Commission has extended its order for the preservation of documents related to Grok through the end of 2026. Meanwhile, ministers in the United Kingdom have been actively considering the application of the Online Safety Act. In a move to address growing concerns over transparency, Elon Musk announced that the source code for X’s new algorithm would be made public within seven days. Financially, xAI remains a significant entity, having secured $20 billion in a recent funding round, boosting its valuation to $230 billion, as reported by CNBC. These substantial funds, sourced partly from investors like Nvidia, Cisco, and the sovereign wealth funds of Qatar and Abu Dhabi, are earmarked for advancing Grok models and bolstering necessary computational infrastructure.