In an effort to combat the rise in cybercrimes, Malaysia will mandate social media platforms with over 8 million users in the country to obtain a license, effective August 1, as announced by the government.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Malaysian
Communications and Multimedia Commission stated that this licensing requirement
aligns with the cabinet’s decision to ensure that social media and internet
messaging services comply with Malaysian laws aimed at combating scams,
cyberbullying, and sexual offenses.
The commission has stated that if social media services do not submit a license application by January 1, 2025, legal action will be taken against them.
Recently, the Malaysian Communications Minister, Fahmi
Fadzil, announced that the regulatory body has communicated with social media
companies to address concerns regarding cybercrime and harmful content on their
platforms.
Earlier this year, Malaysia experienced a significant rise
in detrimental social media content. In response, the government urged social
media platforms, including Meta (Facebook’s parent company) and TikTok, to
enhance their monitoring efforts.
At present, the regulatory body governing communications has
the authority to identify and report content that violates local laws to social
media companies. However, the decision to remove such content ultimately rests
with the respective platforms.