Social media giants must tackle online harms, be held accountable
Fahmi took aim at Facebook, which earned RM2.5 billion in advertising revenue in Malaysia in 2023, for failing to curb scam ads and online gambling promotions.
Fahmi pointed out that companies earning billions in advertising revenue must take responsibility for the content published and shared on their platforms. - Bernama photo
PETALING JAYA – Social media platforms must do more to tackle online harms and be held accountable, said Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
Speaking at the launch of the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia's (CMCF) guidelines on reporting and sharing suicide-related content, Fahmi called on digital platforms to join the CMCF to support ethical content practices and help curb the rising tide of online toxicity. Fahmi said while Malaysia has the legal framework in place, enforcement and platform cooperation remain lacking. - Bernama photo
He pointed out that companies earning billions in advertising revenue must take responsibility for the content published and shared on their platforms.
'TikTok has joined the Content Forum and we are grateful for that. But many other platforms are still not on board — especially X,' he said, referring to the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Fahmi said while Malaysia has the legal framework in place, enforcement and platform cooperation remain lacking.
'The laws are mostly there. We also have the Online Safety Act coming into effect soon. But are platforms doing enough? I don't think so,' he said.
He described X as one of the worst offenders.
'X really puts the 'X' in toxic. It's an extremely toxic environment,' he added.
He also criticised Facebook for failing to control scam ads and deepfake content, noting that the platform has become a hotbed for fraudulent schemes that often go unchecked and prey on unsuspecting users.
'For a long time, we didn't look at scams as a form of cyberbullying. But scams, whether AI-generated deepfakes or identity theft used to promote fake products have a serious impact on mental health,' he said.
Fahmi also took aim at Facebook, which earned RM2.5 billion in advertising revenue in Malaysia in 2023, for failing to curb scam ads and online gambling promotions.
He said that resistance from tech platforms to cooperate with regulators is not just a Malaysian issue but one that affects the entire Asia-Pacific and Asean regions.
'Many of these platforms act as if they're above national laws. This isn't just about regulation. It's about their mindset.
'When it comes to profit, they move quickly. But when it's about following the law, they drag their feet,' he said.
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