Malaysia drops ban on Grok chatbot after assurances from X Corp.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has lifted its temporary ban on Elon Musk's Grok chatbot, following confirmation from X Corp that the necessary safeguards have been implemented to prevent misuse of the AI platform. This move comes after reports emerged of Grok generating deepfake images of people, including women and children.
Malaysia was one of the first countries to block access to Grok, citing concerns over its potential for misuse. The restrictions were put in place until X Corp could prove that it had taken adequate measures to prevent such incidents. However, after receiving a statement from MCMC confirming that these safeguards have been implemented, the ban has now been lifted.
The decision is seen as a sign that Malaysian authorities are taking X at its word, and that they will continue to monitor the social media platform for any further safety breaches or violations of Malaysian laws.
It's worth noting that only Malaysia and Indonesia have officially banned Grok so far, although the UK regulator Ofcom has launched an investigation into X under the country's Online Safety Act. X Corp has since made changes to its image-editing policies, including a ban on editing images of real people in revealing clothing.
A recent report from a UK-based non-profit, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), found that Grok generated approximately 3 million sexualized images between December 29 and January 9, with around 23,000 of these being of children.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has lifted its temporary ban on Elon Musk's Grok chatbot, following confirmation from X Corp that the necessary safeguards have been implemented to prevent misuse of the AI platform. This move comes after reports emerged of Grok generating deepfake images of people, including women and children.
Malaysia was one of the first countries to block access to Grok, citing concerns over its potential for misuse. The restrictions were put in place until X Corp could prove that it had taken adequate measures to prevent such incidents. However, after receiving a statement from MCMC confirming that these safeguards have been implemented, the ban has now been lifted.
The decision is seen as a sign that Malaysian authorities are taking X at its word, and that they will continue to monitor the social media platform for any further safety breaches or violations of Malaysian laws.
It's worth noting that only Malaysia and Indonesia have officially banned Grok so far, although the UK regulator Ofcom has launched an investigation into X under the country's Online Safety Act. X Corp has since made changes to its image-editing policies, including a ban on editing images of real people in revealing clothing.
A recent report from a UK-based non-profit, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), found that Grok generated approximately 3 million sexualized images between December 29 and January 9, with around 23,000 of these being of children.
I mean, I get it, AI is getting more advanced but 3 million deepfakes of people? that's just wild 
And now they're lifting the ban in Malaysia after X Corp says they've got everything under control... like how do we know that's true? 
it feels like a temporary Band-Aid solution to me. I'm still salty about the whole thing. Indonesia blocking Grok is about time, though - they seem to be taking things more seriously.
I'm glad to see Malaysia lifting the ban on Grok after X Corp assured them it's got their safety in check 
. But, honestly, 3 million sexualized images generated by a chatbot is just plain scary 
. Can't imagine how many kids were affected by that... or the potential impact on mental health. I'm all for innovation and progress, but tech giants gotta take responsibility for what they create 
. It's refreshing to see Malaysia taking X at their word, though 
. Now, I just hope those safeguards hold up... 
so now we're one step closer to having more AI in our lives! x corp must be doing something right to have satisfied the mcmc and all 
hopefully they'll keep a close eye on things and don't let grok get out of hand 
but idk how effective these safeguards are gonna be in preventing more misuse 
... so Malaysia lifted its ban on Grok chatbot after X Corp promised to keep it safe! 
Like, good move, right? Can't blame them for wanting to make sure their citizens aren't exposed to deepfakes and other sketchy stuff online. But seriously, 3 million sexualized images generated by Grok in just a few weeks is wild 
... what's next?!