The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has on last Sunday directed a temporary restriction on access to the Grok artificial intelligence (AI) for users in Malaysia, effective 11 January 2026.
MCMC said in a statement that this action follows repeated misuse of Grok to generate obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, grossly offensive, and non-consensual manipulated images, including content involving women and minors, despite prior regulatory engagement and formal notices issued to X Corp. and xAI LLC.
MCMC had issued notices to X Corp. and xAI LLC on January 3, 2026 and January 8, 2026 to demand, amongst others, the implementation of effective technical and moderation safeguards to prevent AI-generated content that may contravene Malaysian law, including Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
However, the responses submitted on January 7, 2026 and January 9, 2026 by X Corp. relied primarily on user-initiated reporting mechanisms and failed to address the inherent risks posed by the design and operation of the AI tool.
MCMC considers this insufficient to prevent harm or ensure legal compliance.
Accordingly, the restriction is imposed as a preventive and proportionate measure while legal and regulatory processes are ongoing.
“Access to Grok will remain restricted until effective safeguards are implemented, particularly to prevent content involving women and children,” said MCMC.
MCMC said it remains open to engagement with X Corp. and xAI LLC subject to demonstrable compliance with Malaysian law.
“Members of the public are strongly urged to promptly report harmful online content to MCMC and, where appropriate, lodge police reports with the Royal Malaysia Police,” it added.