Manila, Jan. 16 -- The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Friday ordered the takedown of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok in the Philippines due to several lapses in regulating content, particularly of nonconsensual illicit deepfakes of women and minors.

In a statement, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) chief Undersecretary Aboy Paraiso requested that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) block and take down access to Grok within 24 hours.

The takedown request is in accordance with Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act to safeguard the public from being exploited through Grok's ability to "manipulate content, produce sex...