Malaysia bans Grok AI after image abuse scandal
Malaysia has blocked access to Grok, an AI tool, after people used it to create explicit and non-consensual images—some involving women and minors.
The country's digital watchdog, MCMC, said the ban is immediate and comes amid growing global worries about AI-generated content crossing serious lines.
Why did Malaysia act now?
On January 11, 2026, MCMC called out Grok for relying too much on users to report problems instead of preventing them in the first place.
They said X Corp hadn't fixed "the inherent risks posed by the design and operation of the AI tool."
Access will stay blocked until better protections are in place.
Other countries are watching
Indonesia actually banned Grok just a day earlier for similar reasons.
While some places still let subscribers use it, Malaysia's move follows Indonesia's, raising the possibility that more countries could take similar action if these tools can't keep users safe from abuse.