Malaysia blocks Grok amid uproar over non-consensual sexualised images

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by John PowerJanuary 12, 2026 at 11:11 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Malaysia has blocked access to Elon Musk's AI model Grok due to its ability to generate non-consensual, sexually explicit images. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) issued the ban after Grok's developer, xAI, and social media platform X failed to adequately address the inherent risks and ensure legal compliance following formal notices. X's response focused on user reporting mechanisms but did not address the underlying design issues. The ban, announced on January 12, 2026, follows a similar action by Indonesia, making it the second country to formally block Grok. The AI chatbot has faced global condemnation for the creation and spread of sexualized deepfakes, including those depicting minors, prompting calls for action from various countries.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States 40% Australia 40% France 40% Germany 40% UK 40% Indonesia 60% X ×365% Elon Musk 70% xAI ×275% Grok ×480% Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission ×285% Malaysia ×390%

Keywords

grok 100% sexualised images 90% malaysia 90% artificial intelligence 80% xai 70% content moderation 70% deepfakes 70% regulatory compliance 60% elon musk 50% image generation 50%