Malaysia to license social media platforms
Social media platforms must apply for the licence by 1 January 2025 or face legal action.
Malaysia is introducing a new regulation requiring social media services with over 8 million users nationwide to obtain a license starting 1 August. The new requirement aims to tackle rising cyber offences, including scams and cyberbullying, by ensuring compliance with Malaysian laws.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced that platforms failing to apply for a license by 1 January 2025 will face legal action. The introduction of this new condition follows directives from the Communications Minister urging social media companies to address government concerns about harmful content.
Why does this matter?
The decision comes amid a rise in harmful social media activity in Malaysia. The government has called on platforms like Meta and TikTok to enhance their content monitoring efforts. Currently, the communications regulator can only flag illegal content, but the final decision to remove it rests with the social media companies.
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