Platforms Southeast Asia

Philippines lifts ban on xAI’s Grok after corrective actions

by Lyene Marie Darang

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January 26, 2026

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Manila, Philippines — The Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has lifted the ban on xAI’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, following the company’s implementation of corrective measures. The ban, initially imposed on January 16, 2026, was lifted on 21 January.

The DICT said an inter-agency technical assessment, led by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), in coordination with relevant government agencies, had reviewed concerns regarding Grok’s image-generation features.

The chatbot had previously been linked to the creation of non-consensual, sexually explicit, and manipulated images, which prompted regulatory action in other countries, including Indonesia and Malaysia. The concerns were cited as having significant implications for digital safety, privacy, and the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.

According to the DICT, xAI has addressed the issues by introducing enhanced safeguards and stricter content moderation, including strengthened restrictions on prompts involving real individuals and improved enforcement of acceptable-use policies.

“Protecting Filipino users remains our paramount concern. At the same time, we support responsible innovation and recognize the role of emerging technologies in national development, provided these technologies operate within the bounds of Philippine law and uphold human dignity,” DICT secretary Henry Aguda said.

“We checked the safeguards that xAI has put in place, and we are satisfied,” CICC Deputy executive director Renato Paraiso added.

The DICT, alongside the CICC and NTC, will continue to monitor xAI’s compliance with its self-regulation measures to ensure adherence to Philippine laws, including safeguards against content-related cybercrime.

The department also emphasised its commitment to a balanced approach to digital governance that protects users, promotes accountability, and enables innovation securely and ethically.