MCMC to meet with TikTok about fake news and TikTok Shop’s operations in MY

The Communications and Digital Ministry, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will reportedly hold a discussion with TikTok this week about the platform adhering to Malaysian laws and being more proactive with the spread of disinformation.

The discussion will follow communications and digital minister, Fahmi Fadzil’s recent meeting with TikTok global vice president Helena Lersch about the spread of fake news on the platform.

TikTok must operate according to Malaysian guidelines and laws while being more proactive in curbing the spread of fake news and defamatory material which includes coordinated inauthentic behavior, said Fahmi in a statement on X after his meeting with Lersch.

Don't miss: TikTok Shop MY increases support for local brands

TikTok’s compliance with Malaysian laws remains unsatisfactory and must be immediately rectified, he added. MCMC’s meeting with Lersch also raised the issue of purchasing advertisements and distributing content on the platform following complaints from various stakeholders about the advertisements booked directly with social media platforms.

The short-form video platform has admitted that the absence of a TikTok representative in Malaysia has inhibited its ability to respond adequately. Moving forward, TikTok has promised to increase its cooperation with the Malaysian government and to hold further meetings to resolve these issues.

In fact, in response to the spread of fake news on the platform, MCMC created a TikTok account called SebenarnyaMY with videos sharing tips on how to spot fake news. The videos also address trending fake news stories such as the one involving the X virus vaccine that has been viewed over a million times.

In Malaysia, TikTok Shop has been actively amping up its presence. Just last week, it revealed that it intends to push out a series of marketing and promotional support tools for its merchants. This includes more subsidies so that more entrepreneurs and creators can kickstart their eCommerce journey or expand their businesses. These updates were announced at the TikTok Shop Summit 2023.

The ByteDance-owned social media channel was forced to suspend its online shopping service in Indonesia, one of its biggest markets, as government officials looked to protect local physical and online retailers. TikTok Shop Indonesia was given a tight one-week deadline to become a standalone app and separate itself from the main app.

Since the enforcement in Indonesia, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil shared that the Malaysian government was watching the space, and acknowledged that many Malaysians use the TikTok Shop platform to sell goods.

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