MCMC, X to meet Jan 21 on Grok misuse, online safety

CYBERJAYA, Jan 16 — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and social media platform X will meet on January 21 to discuss online safety issues, including the misuse of the Grok AI application, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said.

Fahmi said the meeting will address concerns about Grok generating pornographic and explicit content that violates Malaysian laws.

"For Grok, we have identified several ways that it can still be misused," Fahmi said.

"However, we hope X can make several improvements to restrict the misuse of explicit content which violates the country’s laws."

Fahmi added that X has shown "good cooperation" and is open to discussions.

The MCMC imposed a temporary ban on Grok in Malaysia on January 11 due to repeated misuse for generating pornographic content and non-consensual manipulated images.

On January 14, the MCMC said it is considering legal action against X Corp and xAI LLC for failing to ensure user safety regarding Grok.

Fahmi also said all social media platforms have begun discussions with MCMC on proposals to limit social media use to users aged 16 and above.

He said the discussions focus on technical issues and implementation mechanisms, with implementation expected "in the coming months."

Several other platforms not initially targeted have voluntarily expressed readiness to participate, Fahmi added.

"I view this as a good effort by the platforms, which proactively wish to understand the government’s efforts to ensure a safer Internet space, especially for children," Fahmi said.