The Malaysian government is introducing a new set of regulations for social media companies in an attempt to combat online crimes, according to an official notification.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission issued a statement on the new rules on Saturday, July 27, 2024. The regulations mandate licencing for social media platforms with more than eight million users in the country.
“This new regulatory framework only applies to services that meet the licensing eligibility criteria and does not involve users,” the notification reads. “This measure will create a safer online ecosystem and a better user experience, especially for children and families.”
The licencing regulatory framework is aimed at combatting online scams and fraud, cyberbullying, and sexual crimes against children, according to the notification.
The regulations will be introduced on August 1 and will come into effect from January 2025. The objective of the new rules is to ensure that social media and online messaging services “must comply with Malaysian laws”.
Social media companies will be obligated to obtain a license from the government under the Communications and Multimedia Act, 1998 (Act 588). Under the rules, failure to obtain the licence after the effective date will constitute a breach, leading to legal action.
Previously, social media services were exempted from licensing requirements under the country’s Communications and Multimedia (Licensing) (Exemption) Order 2000.
