CYBERJAYA, MALAYSIA January 11, 2026 – The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has imposed a temporary restriction on access to Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by xAI, for all users in Malaysia, effective today.
The restriction stems from repeated misuse of the AI tool to generate obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, grossly offensive, and non-consensual manipulated images, including content involving women and minors.
According to the official MCMC media statement, the commission had issued formal notices to X Corp. and xAI LLC on 3 January and 8 January 2026, demanding the implementation of effective technical and moderation safeguards to prevent the creation of content that violates Malaysian law, particularly Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
X Corp. submitted responses on 7 January and 9 January 2026, but these relied primarily on user-initiated reporting mechanisms. MCMC deemed this approach insufficient, stating it failed to address the inherent risks in the design and operation of the AI tool.
“The restriction is imposed as a preventive and proportionate measure while legal and regulatory processes are ongoing,” the statement read. “Access to Grok will remain restricted until effective safeguards are implemented, particularly to prevent content involving women and children.”
MCMC emphasised that it remains open to further engagement with X Corp. and xAI LLC, provided the companies demonstrate clear compliance with Malaysian law.
The commission also urged members of the public to promptly report any harmful online content to MCMC and, where appropriate, lodge police reports with the Royal Malaysia Police.
This marks the latest regulatory action taken by Malaysian authorities against AI tools and social media platforms over concerns related to harmful and illegal content generation.
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