MCMC: Fanfiction.net blocked until objectionable content removed

PETALING JAYA: Fanfiction.net will be blocked for as long as the website owner fails to take the necessary steps to remove the indecent or obscene content as requested by the authorities, said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

The site, which is the largest fanfiction site on the internet, hosts work in nine categories with several ratings to indicate suitability for different reader age groups.

Responding to The Star’s queries, the MCMC said it recently made the decision to instruct Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block the access to Fanfiction.net.

This was a measure to address complaints and to protect consumers from being exposed to indecent content which “may be detrimental to the moral fabric of the society”.

“MCMC acted after receiving numerous complaints from the public including parents who are worried that their children were exposed to improper materials on the website such as adaptations of popular fictional characters familiar to most children, but with lewd and explicit sexual scenes written by anonymous online contributors,” it said.

The regulatory body reminded parents to always monitor their children’s online use by using the parental control tool provided by major ISPs, which is a joint effort with MCMC to prevent misuse and to mitigate security risks in ensuring a safe online environment for children.

FictionPress, a sister site to the popular fanfic platform, had tweeted on Thursday (Oct 12) that the MCMC had blocked FanFiction.net within Malaysia.

“Malaysia has joined Indonesia as the only two countries on earth that has blocked access to FanFiction.Net,” it added.

In reply, local indie publisher @BukuFixi tweeted: “This is terrible. Solidarity from a Malaysian book publisher.”

Another Twitter user, Hafiz Hamdan, hoped the issue would be resolved quickly.

“Hoping you guys can solve this. I was writing here hoping to become a writer,” he said via his handle @HafizXRenashi.

Nadila Sakinah also started an online petition to urge MCMC to lift the ban on the site, so Malaysian member can “read and write to express their creativity and love”.

So far, the petition has garnered 144 supporters out of its goal of 1,000 electronic signatures.