'No mechanism for victims to remove revenge porn' - Lawyers' group
GEORGE TOWN: Existing laws aimed at protecting people, especially children, from sexual exploitation are insufficient to tackle the rise of revenge and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated pornography, said a lawyers' group.
Jasmine Wong, president of the Association of Women Lawyers (AWL), said laws, such as the Sexual Offences Against Children Act and the Penal Code provisions that criminalise child sexual abuse material, focused on punishment after the fact.
She said Malaysia lacked a mechanism for victims to swiftly demand the removal of harmful content, such as the United States' new "Take it Down" Act.
Wong said Malaysia's Online Safety Bill 2024, passed last December and awaiting to be gazetted, expanded the government's regulatory powers over child sexual abuse material and cyberbullying.
"However, it does not address the rapid spread of deepfake or AI-generated sexual abuse content, leaving a critical gap in protection.
"The current laws are reactive and rely heavily on criminal prosecution, which is often slow and emotionally draining for survivors.
"There is no legal right for minors or their guardians to request the immediate takedown of non-consensual explicit images, forcing survivors to endure prolonged trauma and public stigma," she told the New Straits Times.
Earlier this year, a teenager in Johor was arrested for producing and selling deepfake sexual images of his female classmates.
He is being investigated under Section 292 of the Penal Code for distributing obscene material and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act for sharing offensive content.
Wong said a central takedown platform, possibly under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), could improve coordination and response times.
She added that social media companies should adopt the best practices in the US' "Take it Down" Act, which sets timelines for content removal or risk penalties under MCMC's licensing regime.
"AI developers must build safeguards to detect and prevent the misuse of AI-generated content, and schools and educators play a vital role in addressing digital abuse promptly and educating students on safe online behaviour.
"Digital literacy campaigns and parental guidance are essential to equip children with the skills and support needed to navigate the online world safely."
AWL vice-president Denise Lim said the "Take it Down" Act has been hailed by advocates and victims' families as a powerful tool to protect dignity and privacy in the digital age.
"Malaysia needs urgent legal reform that reflects the realities of digital sexual abuse, combining punitive measures with proactive protections for victims.
"Effective enforcement, swift takedown procedures, and multi-sector collaboration are key to safeguarding young people in an increasingly online world," she said.
Lim added that as digital sexual abuse evolved, so must laws meant to combat it.
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