Malaysia leads ASEAN social media safety guidelines development

The Sun

07-05-2025

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Malaysia is spearheading the development of the ASEAN Guidelines on the Safe and Responsible Use of Social Media Platforms, recognising the growing challenges associated with social media use.
Leading the Malaysian delegation at the 17th Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) here, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said that the initiative aimed to provide harmonised guidance for the region, produce a comprehensive report assessing social media regulations across ASEAN member states, and ultimately support practical guidelines reflecting ASEAN's unique context.
'We are now in the crucial phase of information gathering and expert consultations. At this stage, questionnaires have been circulated, and we have requested nominations for interviews and participation in validation workshops.
'These efforts are vital to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the benchmarking exercise, and they will significantly strengthen the quality of the guidelines we aim to develop,' adding that all ASEAN member states' contributions are essential and contribute to creating a safer, more responsible social media environment for the region.
Teo said this in her remarks during the plenary session held after the opening ceremony of the 17th Conference of AMRI today.
Teo noted that digital expansion had exposed users to greater risks, including scams, online harassment, hate speech, and disinformation.
'Moreover, different regulatory approaches from different sets of definitions and licensing regimes across ASEAN member states may lead to unequal protections for ASEAN citizens, higher compliance costs for platforms, and challenges in cross-border enforcement,' she said.
As Malaysia prepares to assume the Chairmanship of SOMRI Working Group on Information, Media and Training (SOMRI WG-IMT) and the Task Force on Fake News in 2025, Teo reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to building on collaborative initiatives, enabling every ASEAN citizen to navigate the evolving media landscape securely.
She said a truly united ASEAN Community must be built on strong, inclusive, and trusted media and information ecosystems, calling for ASEAN member states to collaborate and realise the vision toward a resilient, responsive, and truly connected ASEAN by 2035.
Teo also highlighted several significant ASEAN-led efforts, including the ASEAN Guideline on Management of Government Information in Combating Fake News and Disinformation, endorsed at the 16th AMRI in Da Nang in September 2023.
It includes the ASEAN-Australia Workshop on Managing Government Information, held from Oct 1 to 3 last year, in Jakarta, which allowed delegates to exchange strategies and national experiences in countering disinformation, she said.
According to Teo, key initiatives discussed at the workshop included the establishment of rapid-response fact-checking units supported by AI-enabled monitoring dashboards, the implementation of community-based digital literacy workshops and the integration of media literacy modules into school curricula.
Meanwhile, guided by the AMRI Vision Statement 2035 and building on the achievements of regional efforts such as the Da Nang Declaration and the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges, Teo reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to media cooperation, digital literacy, and content co-production.
On the 17th Conference of AMRI, themed 'MAJU-Media Advancing Joint Understanding: Transforming Media's Role in Advancing Cooperation and Mutual Understanding in ASEAN', Teo said it reflects a collective commitment to transform media into a participatory platform that is inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the needs of all communities across the region.
Also in the Malaysian delegation are Information Department (JaPen) Communications and Community Development Service Division director Muhammad Najmi Mustapha and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chief corporate and international officer Syahrilazli Mahammad.
The delegation also includes MCMC director II (ASEAN and Bilateral) Fatin Nabiha Ab Aziz, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) executive editor for International News Service Mohd Shukri Ishak, as well as other high-ranking officials from the Communications Ministry and its agencies.