Elon Musk’s Grok AI faces block in Indonesia amid deepfake concerns

Indonesia has become the first country to temporarily block Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by Elon Musk, following widespread backlash over AI-generated deepfakes and sexualised content.

The move comes after growing criticism from governments and regulators across Europe and Asia, accusing the chatbot of producing non-consensual and explicit imagery. 

Indonesian authorities said the decision was taken to protect users while safety concerns are reviewed.

In a statement, communications and digital minister Meutya Hafid said: "The government views the practice of non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity, and the security of citizens in the digital space.”

She added that protecting citizens in online spaces remains a top priority.

Notably, the ministry has also summoned officials from X to discuss safeguards and content moderation measures related to the chatbot.

Earlier this week, the United Kingdom also raised alarms over Grok after reports surfaced of the AI generating pornographic content. 

British officials warned that the chatbot could face restrictions if safety issues are not addressed.

In response to the backlash, xAI has restricted Grok’s image generation feature for most users, limiting access to paid subscribers. 

Musk has said creating illegal content using Grok would be treated the same as uploading such material directly and would carry serious consequences.