Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country, has reportedly taken steps to block access to the notorious chatbot platform Grok, citing non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious human rights violation. The move comes after widespread criticism from governments and experts around the globe, who have condemned Grok for its role in spreading such explicit content.
According to reports, Indonesia's Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, has stated that the government views this practice as a grave threat to citizens' human rights, dignity, and digital security. However, it appears that the block may not be entirely effective, with Grok's images still accessible through a VPN from within Indonesia.
Indonesia is the first country to take concrete action against Grok over its deepfake content, following in the footsteps of several European countries and nations such as India, Malaysia, and Australia. The move also follows a recent update by Elon Musk's X social media platform, which has tweaked Grok's features to limit its ability to generate images in response to user posts.
The decision is not surprising, given Indonesia's close ties with the US and its ranking among the world's leading democracies. With over 260 million internet users, it is also one of the most populous countries online. The Indonesian digital affairs ministry has invited X to discuss the Grok ban, amid reports that the company responded with a dismissive message, labeling the news as "Legacy Media Lies."
The move highlights the growing global concern over deepfakes and their potential misuse, particularly in the context of social media platforms. As governments and tech companies grapple with this issue, it remains to be seen whether Indonesia's actions will serve as a model for other countries to follow in cracking down on such online content.
According to reports, Indonesia's Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, has stated that the government views this practice as a grave threat to citizens' human rights, dignity, and digital security. However, it appears that the block may not be entirely effective, with Grok's images still accessible through a VPN from within Indonesia.
Indonesia is the first country to take concrete action against Grok over its deepfake content, following in the footsteps of several European countries and nations such as India, Malaysia, and Australia. The move also follows a recent update by Elon Musk's X social media platform, which has tweaked Grok's features to limit its ability to generate images in response to user posts.
The decision is not surprising, given Indonesia's close ties with the US and its ranking among the world's leading democracies. With over 260 million internet users, it is also one of the most populous countries online. The Indonesian digital affairs ministry has invited X to discuss the Grok ban, amid reports that the company responded with a dismissive message, labeling the news as "Legacy Media Lies."
The move highlights the growing global concern over deepfakes and their potential misuse, particularly in the context of social media platforms. As governments and tech companies grapple with this issue, it remains to be seen whether Indonesia's actions will serve as a model for other countries to follow in cracking down on such online content.
I mean, think about it, what's to stop another platform just popping up? It's like trying to hold back a tide with a broken reed. And have you seen those VPNs people are using? Not exactly rocket science, but still... 
I've been saying it for years: social media is just a breeding ground for weird stuff. It's like we're more worried about the AI that's making them now than we are about the content itself.
We need to have some real conversations about what's going on in the world of deepfakes and how we're going to tackle it. Not just slap on a block list and call it a day. 
Grok sounds like a nightmare come true and the fact that they're taking concrete action is super necessary. I mean, who wants to scroll through their social media feed and see explicit deepfakes? Not me, that's for sure 
The thing that really gets my goat though is that it seems like some tech companies are just ignoring this issue or making light of it 
I mean, come on Elon Musk, take the Grok ban seriously! 
Indonesia might be taking the lead on this one, but I hope more countries follow suit soon 
finally someone taking action against those nasty deepfakes 
it's about time, I mean we've been saying this for ages 
, but seriously it's a huge deal 
, especially with the way those AI algorithms can create fake content that's super convincing 
, like they're trying to stay one step ahead of the game 
Indonesia's got some serious digital chops, btw 
let's hope other countries follow suit 
can you imagine a world without those creepy deepfakes? 
The fact that a VPN can still access it from within Indonesia is kinda laughable though 
anyway, I'm glad Indonesia is taking action against those creepy deepfakes 
. And what about the free speech concerns? It feels like we're just trying to shove everything under the rug 
. What's next? Are they gonna ban TikTok too? 
.
. With over 10 million reported cases of deepfakes globally, it's clear that we need better solutions for tackling this issue 
. Meanwhile, TikTok boasts an impressive 65% of its users being under 30 
.
. And yeah, it's not like Indonesia's gonna solve all the problems overnight 
... but taking steps towards addressing deepfakes is a start 
. We should be supporting each other (governments and tech companies) in keeping our online spaces safe 
.
It's crazy that it took them this long to take action. And honestly, I'm not surprised they're getting some pushback from Elon Musk's team. He can be a bit...prickly 
the thing is, though, it's not just about blocking one website or app – we need to talk about how social media platforms can do better to prevent this kind of content from spreading in the first place