KUALA LUMPUR – A recent surge in government requests for social media and over-the-top (OTT) platforms to remove certain content is aimed at protecting users, said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Responding to news reports detailing that platforms such as Meta and TikTok recorded an increase in government requests to remove content this year, MCMC said that its efforts are intended to safeguard users from online harm.
“The MCMC clarifies that these efforts are aimed at protecting users from the significant increase of online harms, and not about stifling diverse views,” the commission said in a statement today.
“Statistics from MCMC revealed an alarming 24-fold increase in harmful content on social media and OTT platforms from 1,019 in 2022 to 25,642 in 2023 – including scams, illegal sales, gambling, fake news and hate speech.”
With such content posing a significant threat to the nation’s social fabric and institutions, MCMC added that hate speech, in particular, has the potential to incite violence, discrimination and harassment.
“This highlights the importance of enforcing rules and regulations for content moderation and removal to safeguard users from online harms.
“It is essential for the government, regulatory bodies and OTT platforms to work together to address these issues while upholding the diversity of views,” the commission added.
According to a graphic chart accompanying its statement, online content on scam and illegal sales saw the highest surge, going from 315 pieces of content last year to 18,140 this year.
Meanwhile, hate speech increased from 422 pieces content to 2,858 while fake news increased to 4,008 from 96, and pornographic material went up to 599 from 186.
Earlier today, Reuters reported that between January and June this year, Meta restricted about 3,100 pages and posts on its Facebook and Instagram platforms from being viewed by users in Malaysia as they were allegedly in violation of local laws.
Meanwhile, TikTok is said to have received 340 requests from the government to remove or restrict content between January and June this year, with the short video platform acting against 815 posts for going against local laws or its community guidelines. – December 15, 2023