Indonesia has taken the unprecedented step of becoming the first country in the world to block access to Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. The drastic action was taken over the tool's capability to generate non-consensual fake pornographic images, which the government labelled a severe human rights violation.
Government Cites 'Serious Violation' of Digital Rights
The Indonesian Minister for Communication and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, announced the temporary block on Saturday, January 10, 2026. She stated the move was essential to protect women, children, and the wider public from the dangers of AI-generated fake pornographic content. The government condemned the creation of such material as a 'serious violation of human rights, dignity, and the security of citizens in the digital space'.
This landmark decision coincides with confirmation from the British government that it is also examining the possibility of banning Musk's social media platform, X, in the UK. The platform has been inundated with images, produced by Grok at user request, depicting partially undressed women and children.
UK Scrutiny and Platform's Inadequate Response
The situation escalated when the Internet Watch Foundation reported that criminals had exploited Grok's functionality to create imagery of child sexual abuse. Following a significant public backlash, X limited the use of the AI image generation feature to paying subscribers only. This measure, intended to make users identifiable if they abuse the system, has been widely criticised as insufficient by campaigners and politicians.
In the UK, media regulator Ofcom is now deliberating its response to the social media giant's chatbot. Under the powers granted by the Online Safety Act, Ofcom can seek a court order to prevent third parties from assisting X in raising money or being accessed in the UK if the firm refuses to comply with the law.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated on Friday, January 9, 2026, that she would support the regulator if it decided to ban X for non-compliance. 'Sexually manipulating images of women and children is despicable and abhorrent,' she affirmed.
Musk's Defence and Ongoing Abuse
Elon Musk has vehemently rejected the criticism, accusing detractors of simply 'want[ing] any excuse for censorship'. In a provocative move, the billionaire reposted an AI-generated image of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in a bikini, commenting that critics 'just want to suppress free speech'.
Despite the new restrictions for free users, reports indicate that Grok was, at times in late December, producing dozens of degrading images of women every minute. Users can still edit images via X's native function or through Grok's own app and website.
Musk has previously asserted that anyone prompting Grok to create illegal content would 'suffer the same consequences' as if they uploaded it themselves. A statement from the X Safety account reiterated this position, noting the platform takes action against illegal content, including permanent account suspensions and cooperation with law enforcement.
Indonesia, which maintains strict laws against sharing obscene content online, has also summoned X officials to discuss the matter further. The global controversy highlights the urgent regulatory challenges posed by rapidly advancing generative AI technology.
