Key points:
- 159,518 takedowns across Facebook, TikTok and YouTube this year
- 51% of flagged content involved online gambling
- Government introduces new Online Safety Act to strengthen platform accountability
As reported by Business Today, major social media platforms have removed nearly 160,000 posts flagged by Malaysian authorities for violating online safety standards. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said that Facebook, TikTok and YouTube were responsible for taking down the bulk of the content, with Facebook alone accounting for 57% of the removals.
Online gambling was the most common offence, representing 51% of all takedown actions. This was followed by scams (25%), cyberbullying (12%) and fake news (9%). The total removals represent responses to 174,473 takedown requests issued so far this year.
Fahmi made the announcement during the Ministry of Communications’ monthly assembly, alongside Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching, Secretary-General Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa and Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin.
Good to know: Takedown efforts form part of a broader government crackdown on digital harm, including child exploitation and unlicensed online gambling syndicates
The Minister also raised concerns about the continued presence of child exploitation content, particularly on Facebook, suggesting that more strategic measures may be required. He cited last year’s joint operation by the Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), known as Op Pedo Bersepadu, as part of the government’s ongoing response.
Malaysia’s new Online Safety Act (OnSA) 2024, which was passed in Parliament and has received Royal Assent, is expected to grant MCMC greater enforcement powers. Under OnSA, platforms that fail to act on harmful content may face regulatory consequences, marking a shift toward stricter digital governance.
