Indonesia has suspended Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok amid escalating concerns over AI-generated sexualized images of individuals without their consent. This decision comes as Musk’s platform faces a growing backlash after reports surfaced indicating that Grok’s image creation feature could be used to sexualize photos of women and children using simple text prompts.
CBS News confirmed that Grok was able to fulfill user requests for editing images of women, including public figures like first lady Melania Trump, to depict them in bikinis or scantily clad. Indonesia has taken a bold step as the first country to completely block access to the tool, which, elsewhere, has only been restricted for paying subscribers in response to the backlash.
Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid stated, “In order to protect women, children, and the public from the risks of fake pornographic content generated using the artificial intelligence technology, the government… has temporarily blocked access to the Grok application.” The minister emphasized that the government views non-consensual deepfake practices as a serious violation of human rights and a threat to the dignity and security of citizens in the digital realm.
Despite the suspension, AFP journalists in Jakarta reported that the Grok X account remained operational and was still responding to queries, including in Bahasa Indonesia, as of Saturday evening. In a statement to CBS News, xAI, the startup behind Grok, dismissed the concerns, claiming, “Legacy Media Lies,” though it did not provide further elaboration. This comment appears to be an automatic response generated for media inquiries.
International reactions have been swift. European officials and technology advocates criticized the move to limit Grok’s features to paying subscribers, arguing it does not adequately address the ongoing concerns regarding sexually explicit deepfake content. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared that he is considering “all options on the table,” including a potential ban on Grok in Britain. “This is disgraceful, it’s disgusting and it’s not to be tolerated. X has got to get a grip of this,” he stated during an interview with a U.K. radio station. “It’s unlawful. We’re not going to tolerate it. I’ve asked for all options to be on the table.”
A source from Starmer’s office reiterated that “nothing is off the table” regarding the regulation of X in the U.K. In the United States, Republican Senator Ted Cruz also condemned the situation, asserting that many recent AI-generated posts are “unacceptable and a clear violation” of his legislation, the Take It Down Act. Cruz highlighted the serious threats posed to victims’ privacy and dignity, insisting that such unlawful images should be removed and that adequate safeguards must be established.
In response to concerns surrounding explicit images generated by Grok, Musk noted last week that anyone using the platform to “make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content.” The ongoing developments highlight the urgent need for regulatory frameworks to address the implications of AI technologies, particularly as concerns over privacy and consent continue to mount globally.
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