‘Social media platforms should put label on all AI-generated content’

KUALA LUMPUR: Social media platforms should put an artificial intelligence (AI) label or notification on all AI-generated content posted to prevent untoward incidents, says Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil (pic).

He said the platform operators should be held responsible for incidents happening on their platforms.

“If their content was produced using Generative AI technology, then it is only right for the platforms to put a label or notification with words like ‘generated by artificial intelligence’.

“This is one of the reasons why we will eventually license all social media platforms ... because we want them to be responsible when there are incidents like this,” he said in reference to the incident involving social media influencer Khairul Aming who became a victim of a fake video made using deepfake technology, Bernama reported.

Fahmi clarified that he had never issued a directive to Google to deactivate the ringgit currency exchange rate graph feature as claimed by a user on X.

“I have never instructed Google to remove their foreign exchange tool or widget from their platform. When we search on Google, we can still get foreign exchange information.

“But we need to remember that there was an incident last month where there was an inaccurate ringgit exchange rate published by Google, which was different from what was published by Bank Negara,” he said.

Recently, a post claiming that Fahmi had instructed Google to take down the foreign exchange widget triggered various reactions on X.

Meanwhile, Fahmi said the Online Safety Bill was expected to be tabled in the coming Parliament meeting in October.

He said the Bill was being refined by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, in collaboration with the police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

He said the Bill aligned with the government’s intention to license social media platforms as part of efforts to address issues related to online platforms.

“This matter (the Bill) is being discussed continuously, and we have a special committee involving several ministries ... we expect that at least an Online Safety Bill can be brought to Parliament soon.

“We hope to table it in the coming Parliament sitting but as mentioned before, there are several matters we need to amend in existing laws such as the Penal Code,” he told reporters after officiating at the 2024 Huawei Malaysia Supplier Ecosystem Convention at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) here yesterday.

According to Fahmi, the Bill needed to be carefully refined to ensure the definition of offences provided in the new regulations were clear and specific.

“For example, we see issues like scams, online gambling, cyberbullying and sexual crimes against children ... within these three or four categories, there are several laws that need to be examined,” he said.