MCMC says take-down requests were over scams, hate speech

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s internet regulator says its requests for the removal of internet content was not to suppress differing views but to protect users from a significant increase in online harm.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said there had been “an alarming 24-fold increase in harmful content” on social media platforms, from 1,019 in 2022 to 25,642 in 2023.

The measures it had taken was to ensure users are protected from scams, illegal sales, gambling, fake news, and hate speech, MCMC said in a statement.

The statement came in response to media reports of a jump in Malaysian government requests to Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) and TikTok to remove social media posts and accounts in Malaysia in the first six months of 2023.

Meta restricted about 3,100 pages and posts on Facebook and Instagram from being viewed by users in Malaysia between January and June this year. The number was six times higher than in the previous half-year period.

TikTok said it received 340 requests from the Malaysian government to remove or restrict content between January and June 2023, affecting 890 posts and accounts.

MCMC said that of the 25,642 cases reported, 70.7% was related to scams and illegal sales, while hate speech had increased over six times, with 2,858 cases compared to 422 reported last year.

It said the government, regulatory bodies and social media platforms must work together “to address these issues while upholding the diversity of views”.