“The DICT takes decisive action against xAI’s Grok, citing issues with AI-generated explicit content and misuse, highlighting the Philippines’ stance on digital safety.”
The Philippine government, through the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), is taking action against Elon Musk’s xAI chatbot, Grok. DICT Secretary Henry Aguda announced plans to block Grok due to serious concerns over its misuse, particularly the generation of sexually explicit and non-consensual images.
Secretary Aguda emphasized that such content falls under online sexual abuse or exploitation of children (OSAEC) in the Philippines. He clarified that the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the National Telecommunications Commissions (NTC) are working together on the blocking process. While the DICT doesn’t have a direct “push button” to block sites, all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will be required to initiate the block.
Interestingly, Grok’s “footprint” in the Philippines is currently small, which might ease the implementation of the block. However, the DICT chief warned against underestimating AI’s potential for harm if abused, leading to “unproductive discourse.” This move places the Philippines among a growing list of countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia, that have taken action against Grok over similar content issues. The UK and Australia are also investigating.
In response to global scrutiny, xAI recently imposed restrictions on Grok’s image editing features, limiting them to paying subscribers. Elon Musk has also publicly stated he was “not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok” and that illegal content generation would face severe consequences. This situation underscores the critical need for responsible AI development and usage, especially as governments worldwide grapple with regulating these powerful new technologies.
