MY to set up complaints platform for social media content removals, says Teo

The Malaysian government is planning to set up a platform for social media account holders to file complaints against the removal of their content under the Online Safety Bill 2024, or the proposed Online Safety Act.  Deputy communications minister Teo Nie Ching said in a report by Bernama, this would enable users to provide reasonable justifications to a tribunal to defend their content from being taken down.  

She explained to parliament, this process will not fall under the authority of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, as there will also be a check and balance procedure to ensure that every MCMC decision can be challenged.  

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Her answer was in response to a question posed in parliament about the potential of the government using licensing requirements for social media platforms to remove unfavourable content, especially during the elections.  Teo assured that MCMC was conducting a detailed review to resolve any enforcement issues related to the licensing framework. 

This comes as the Malaysian government implemented a new social media regulatory licensing framework which came into effect on 1 January, which mandates that social media platforms with over 8 million users in the country have to obtain an Applications Service Providers Class (ASPC) License. The framework reportedly aims to safeguard users from harmful content, amid the government's calls for platforms to intensify content monitoring. 

The communications ministry had assured that it would not censor the internet under the framework, but warned that unlawful content should not be spread freely without regard for legal provisions. Some civil society organisations had raised concerns that it would stifle freedom of speech, and freedom to criticise the government. 

Meanwhile, Teo also mentioned that Meta is profiting from scammer-run accounts, in a report by The Star. She added that if Meta is let off the hook, they will prioritise profits over the interests of internet users, prompting the need for stricter monitoring. 

The communications ministry also explained that 63% of the social media content which had been taken down involved gambling, while 22% involved fraud, scams, fake accounts and impersonation cases. 

Previously, the government confirmed that the operators of TikTok, WeChat and Telegram have received their ASPC License, while Meta is in the process of applying for one.  

Some of the platforms which have yet to submit their applications to MCMC, are X and YouTube’s operator, Google. The digital ministry is in the process of reaching out to these two firms, as well as Meta.  

This comes as X disputes that they only have 8 million Malaysian users on their platform, negating the need for them to apply for a license. 

Photo courtesy of Teo Nie Ching (Facebook).

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