Positive Response From Social Media Platforms On New Regulatory Framework: Fahmi

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz

SINGAPORE, July 30 (Bernama) -- Social media platforms have responded positively to the need for licensing under the new regulatory framework for safer Internet use by children and families, set to be implemented next year, according to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

The minister said in his meetings with various platforms during his three-day working visit here, they acknowledge the need to comply with Malaysian law and are willing to participate in the process.

“My meetings with the social media platforms have been very productive. They acknowledge that Malaysia is an important market for their respective platforms.

“I'm happy to say that all of these social media platforms are prepared to come on board,” he told Bernama and Nikkei Asia in an interview at the end of the working visit on Tuesday.

In Singapore, the minister met with officials from various social media platforms such as Meta, Google, TikTok and Tencent to update them on the new regulatory framework and discuss online security and potential collaborations to combat illegal activities on these platforms.

Fahmi said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will published FAQs (frequently asked questions) on Aug 1 that will provide more details on the framework and the mechanism of the licensing.

It will also conduct a series of public engagements from Aug 1 to Jan 1 next year to create a code of conduct that will serve as a reference for licensees under the framework.

Prior to this, Fahmi said the MCMC started engagements with all the platforms in February, relating to issues faced by Malaysia on their platforms.

Last Saturday, MCMC said it will introduce a new regulatory framework for safe Internet use by children and families on Aug 1, with implementation set for Jan 1, 2025.

Under the new framework, social media and Internet messaging services with at least eight million registered users in Malaysia must apply for an Application Service Provider Class Licence under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588).

Meanwhile, the minister said the issue of non-compliance were also raised during the meeting with the social media platforms, and they are prepared to work with the ministry on this matter.

“We understand their business and regulatory processes, their community guidelines or community standards. But on the regulator and government side, we also hope they will understand the kind of expectations that we have of them. So, we hope to meet in the middle and I believe this can be done,” he said.

Last week, Fahmi said that MCMC's monitoring found varying levels of compliance among the platforms with Malaysian laws: some are prompt and compliant, some do not comply at all, and others are very slow to respond to the authorities.

Fahmi said Instagram, for one, recorded a compliance rate of 88 per cent, followed by Facebook (85 per cent), WhatsApp (79 per cent), TikTok (76 per cent), Telegram (65 per cent) and X with the lowest compliance rate at 25 per cent.

-- BERNAMA