Malaysia Blocks Online Platform Over Alleged Non-Consensual Sexualized Images

Malaysia Bans Elon Musk’s AI Model Grok Amid Global Controversy

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has issued a temporary ban on access to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence model, Grok, following the developer’s failure to comply with formal notices. The commission ordered xAI, the chatbot’s developer, and social media platform X to implement safeguards to ensure compliance with the law.

According to the MCMC, X responded primarily to regulatory notices by focusing on user-initiated reporting mechanisms, but failed to address the inherent risks associated with the AI tool’s design and operation. The commission considers this insufficient to prevent harm or ensure legal compliance.

The ban comes after Indonesia became the world’s first country to formally ban Grok, citing concerns over its use of image-generation tools to depict real people in minimal clothing and sexualized poses without their consent. This has sparked global condemnation and calls for action from officials in several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Australia.

xAI initially responded to a request for comment by directing Al Jazeera to an earlier statement by X, which stated that the platform takes action against illegal content, including child sexual abuse material. Grok has been limited to paid subscribers in an attempt to quell controversy, but European officials and campaigners have criticized this move as insufficient.

The MCMC’s announcement follows a series of regulatory actions taken by other countries, highlighting the growing concern over the use of AI models like Grok.

Source: Al Jazeera