Malaysian govt set to license and regulate social media, messaging apps

Malaysia could soon see a much more restricted social media landscape with the implementation of a new licensing regime. 

The license was reportedly aimed to facilitate revenue-sharing with local content producers and to end harmful and illegal content online. It would also involve platforms such as Meta, Google, TikTok and X as well as a host of other platforms with more than eight million Malaysian users, according to The Straits Times.

However, several industry and civil society representatives who attended meetings chaired by regulatory body Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commision (MCMC), have painted a different picture. 

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According to The Straits Times, sources said that there were little to no mention of digital revenue-sharing during the meetings. Instead, proposals such as pre-emptive action to prevent offences were reportedly met with pushback from platform owners and civil society. 

Other ideas such as a kill switch to take down content, forcing licensees to allow their content moderation and algorithm processes to be audited, as well as having an entity domiciled in Malaysia that would be subjected to penalties under local law were also discussed, according to The Straits Times. 

The licensing proposal was reportedly approved in April this year and was slated to be announced in July, but feedback from stakeholders likely pushed back the timeline. 

Similarly, MCMC announced in April that it will work with social media platforms to regulate the issue of social media use among children below 13. 

“At this moment, social media platforms leave account registration to users fully, without any way of proving their age meets the necessary requirements. The Communications Ministry has had a series of meetings with platform providers such as Meta and TikTok to discuss ways to tackle the issue of social media ownership among children under 13,” said deputy communications minister Teo Nie Ching.

"The MCMC will work closely with social media platforms to prevent the setting up of accounts by children under 13, as well as shutting down the social media accounts owned by children under 13,” she added.

In the same month, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil had a discussion with Meta and TikTok regarding online safety for children. Other elements touched upon included the monitoring of content such as online gambling, scams, fake news and the 3R's (race, religion and royalty). 

Both platforms were also given information about the government's plans to improve the laws as well as the operational guidelines of social media platforms in Malaysia, said Fahmi in a statement. 

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