Malaysia will require social media services to apply for a license if they have more than 8 million users in the country starting August 1, 2023. This move is part of the government’s efforts to combat rising cybercrime. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced this in a statement on Saturday. The license requirement aligns with a cabinet decision that social media and internet messaging services should adhere to Malaysian laws aimed at fighting scams, cyberbullying, and sexual crimes. The MCMC stated that social media services failing to apply for a license by January 1, 2025, will face legal action. Last week, Malaysia’s Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil revealed that the regulator had issued directives to social media companies, requesting feedback on the government’s concerns regarding cybercrime and harmful content found on their platforms. Earlier this year, Malaysia reported a significant increase in harmful social media content. The country urged social media firms, including Facebook parent Meta and short video platform TikTok, to enhance monitoring on their platforms. Currently, the communications regulator can flag content that violates local laws to social media companies, but the platforms ultimately decide on removing the content.
Malaysia to Require License for Social Media Platforms with Over 8 Million Users
