The Philippines announced Thursday it will block access to Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok, joining Malaysia and Indonesia in a regional crackdown over concerns that the tool can generate sexualized images, including content posing child safety risks. Telecommunications Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda stated the country expects to block Grok by tonight across the entire Philippines.
The decision comes as Southeast Asian nations take swift action against the xAI-developed chatbot following reports of users creating non-consensual explicit imagery. Renato Paraiso, acting executive director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, confirmed the government is working with the National Telecommunications Commission to implement the ban. He emphasized the urgency, stating they need to clean the internet now because much toxic content is appearing with the advent of AI.
Malaysia and Indonesia became the first countries to block Grok entirely over the weekend, with Indonesia implementing its ban on Saturday and Malaysia following on Sunday. The coordinated regional response reflects growing alarm among Asian governments about AI-generated explicit content. California's Attorney General Rob Bonta has also launched an investigation into xAI and Grok over the same concerns.
In response to the mounting international pressure, X announced Wednesday it would geoblock the ability of all Grok and X users to create images of people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire in jurisdictions where such actions are deemed illegal. However, Philippine officials indicated that X's pledge would have no effect on the government's plans, adding they would watch to see if the platform follows through on its promises.
The controversy centers on Grok's image generation capabilities, which critics say have been exploited to create sexualized deepfakes of real individuals without their consent. Reports emerged of users generating explicit images of public figures, celebrities, and ordinary people, raising serious privacy and consent concerns. Child safety advocates have been particularly vocal, warning that such technology could be used to create child sexual abuse material.
Technology analysts note this represents one of the most significant regulatory challenges facing AI image generation tools. The swift action by multiple governments signals a potential shift toward stricter oversight of generative AI capabilities. Industry observers suggest other countries may follow suit with similar restrictions as concerns about AI-generated harmful content continue to grow.
Musk's xAI has faced increasing scrutiny since Grok's launch, with critics arguing the company failed to implement adequate safeguards against misuse. The company has not yet issued a comprehensive response to the growing list of countries blocking access to its platform.