Over 1,700 hate speech complaints

KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) received a total of 1,782 complaints regarding hate speech related to race, religion and royal institutions (3R) in 2020 until July 2022. 

The MCMC in response to questions from Daily Express said all complaints are resolved with appropriate actions. 

The action includes but were not limited to investigations under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 ("AKM 1998") as well as administrative actions; which includes account/content takedown notices, website restrictions, abuse reports, advice and guidance on other steps that can be taken by the complainant.

The MCMC also gave some advice on how the public can identify fake news and what to do when they come across fake news. 

The public should investigate the source/evidence by ensuring that the story is written by a source that we trust with a reputation for accuracy. 

If the story comes from a suspicious/unfamiliar organisation, check with the respective agencies (with jurisdictions) on the accuracy of the news. 

Lack of evidence or reliance on unnamed experts may also indicate a false news story, according to MCMC. 

Another way to identify fake news is to read beyond the headline. 

If a provocative headline drew your attention, read a little further before you decide to pass along the shocking information. 

Even in legitimate news stories, the headline does not always tell the whole story, said MCMC.

The public should also consider the photos and videos posted. 

False news stories often contain manipulated images or videos. Sometimes the photo may be authentic but taken out of context, said MCMC. 

The MCMC said false news stories may also contain timelines that make no sense, or event dates that have been altered, thus, the public should inspect the dates. 

The public can also look at other reports. If no other news source is reporting the same story, it may indicate that the story is false. 

If the story is reported by multiple sources we trust, it is more likely to be true, according to MCMC.

Before you share an article, verify the news/story/content through sebenarnya.my or other fact-checking portals, thus it is wise to utilise media literacy sites, said MCMC.

As the spread of false information can quickly spiral out of control, remember to pause before you share – whether it’s a headline, image, screenshot, video, or meme.

If you think that you have managed to spot fake news online, most social media platforms have a feature to report posts and send feedback to their content moderators.