MCMC To Engage Social Media Platform Providers This Month, Says Teo

KULAI, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will hold an engagement session with social media platform providers this month to discuss standard operating procedures (SOPs) concerning the personal content of users. 

Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching stated that the meeting also aims to establish cooperation with these providers to ensure that personal data is not misused by irresponsible parties.

"This month, MCMC's content forum division will conduct an engagement session with social media platform providers to develop stricter and more effective SOPs. This step is crucial to enable MCMC and the Royal Malaysia Police to carry out investigations if necessary.

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"Technologies like deepfake have existed for some time, but with advancements and artificial intelligence (AI), scammers are now using them to spread explicit images and content involving children.

“This is why we need to collaborate with platforms like Meta, Telegram, and TikTok," she told reporters during the Jom Tonton Wayang ‘Takluk: Lahad Datu’ programme with Kulai residents at a shopping mall here today.

Teo, who is also the Kulai member of parliament, was responding to a question about whether MCMC had received reports regarding the spread of AI-created fake videos and images or deepfakes, involving local individuals.

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She expressed hope that through the upcoming engagement session, social media platform providers would implement self-regulation to manage criminal content.

"Technology will continue to advance, and it's unreasonable not to utilise it. However, we must be more cautious when sharing information on social media, not just personal details but also content involving children.

"What we need to understand is that once we choose to share something on social media, it’s difficult to erase it if someone else has downloaded that data," she said.

On another note, Teo urged Malaysians to support local films currently showing in cinemas.

"So far, this year’s box office collection for 27 local films, including Takluk: Lahad Datu, has reached RM97.5 million, nearly matching the total box office earnings of RM98.8 million from 56 local films for the whole of last year.

"This shows that local films are of high quality, and I hope audiences will continue to support them. The highest-grossing film this year remains Sheriff: Narko Integriti, while last year's top box office was Polis Evo 3," she added.

-- BERNAMA