Online Safety Campaign Boosts Awareness Of Cyberthreats - Experts

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 (Bernama) -- The Online Safety Campaign Roadshow is a key initiative in preparing Malaysians for an increasingly complex digital landscape, particularly with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).

Security and Political Analyst from the Centre for Media and Information Warfare Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Dr Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin, stressed the importance of this initiative amid the fast-paced growth of technology and the rising sophistication of cybercrime syndicates.

He said emerging cyber threats include online fraud, personal data breaches, the spread of fake news, phishing attacks, ransomware and the uncontrolled use of algorithms that could compromise national identity and unity based on the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara.

“It is crucial for Malaysians to remain vigilant, especially against international syndicates that continuously refine their methods to target countries with high social media activity like Malaysia.

“This campaign is a good start, but it must be consistently updated. The government's proactive approach to tackling this issue is commendable, as Malaysia has one of the most robust cybersecurity frameworks in addressing AI-related threats,” he told Bernama today.

Noor Nirwandy suggested that the government adopt a holistic approach by implementing psychological warfare strategies, promoting community-driven algorithm audits and establishing cyber community clusters in specific areas to safeguard the people from evolving cyber threats.

Yesterday, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the Online Safety Campaign Roadshow would be conducted in over 10,000 schools and public universities nationwide to enhance awareness of internet security across all segments of society.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Deputy Registrar Noor Mohamad Shakil Hameed also expressed confidence that the campaign would complement existing cybersecurity education efforts in schools and universities.

“In principle, we already have teaching modules and frameworks that support the cybersecurity agenda. At universities, awareness is reinforced through academic courses, cybersecurity programmes, as well as internal regulations and policies that provide guidelines on ethical internet use.

“As such, we believe this campaign will reinforce current initiatives in schools and universities while further increasing public awareness and protection against cybercriminals,” he told Bernama

Meanwhile, Siti Azfa Shariza Mohd Shariff, 38, a private-sector employee and mother of two, supported the government's proposal to ban children under 13 from having social media accounts to protect them from online threats.

“With AI technology now capable of generating highly realistic videos, images and audio, there is growing concern that malicious individuals, such as pedophiles, scammers and human traffickers could exploit these tools to deceive children. I strongly support this campaign,” she said.

--BERNAMA