Special task force to be set up to discuss social media regulation, says Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR: A special task force will be established next week to discuss aspects of social media regulation and enforcement, says Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

He said the task force would include the Communications Ministry, the Home Ministry, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department, and the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Fahmi said this decision came after a meeting with Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din three days ago.

"The police require the MCMC’s technical assistance for data preservation and profiling, so we will establish this special task force in the coming days to thoroughly understand the issues faced by Deputy Public Prosecutors (DPPs).

"For instance, the issue of deepfake investigations, which is relatively new and may require cooperation to understand the evidence, gather sufficient data, and bring it in court,” he said after visiting and handing over personal donations to PR Puspa, the mother of the late social media influencer A. Rajeswary, or Esha, at her home in Bandar Baru Ampang here on Sunday (Aug 18).

Fahmi added that addressing prosecution aspects is crucial to avoid issues like the recent case where an individual was fined RM100, which he found unsatisfactory.

It was reported that Esha was found dead in a condominium unit in Setapak here on July 5, a day after lodging a police report regarding the cyberbullying she was facing.

To tackle cyberbullying, Fahmi said the ministry, particularly MCMC, is working to ensure that the licensing process for social media platforms is implemented smoothly by Jan 1 next year.

"We observe that those involved in cyberbullying often use fake accounts, and we aim to reduce or eliminate these fake accounts in the future.

"Following my meeting with representatives from X, Meta, TikTok, and WeChat in Singapore recently, they have expressed their willingness to be licensed. We are currently reviewing guidelines, and from Aug 1 until the end of the year, MCMC will meet with all stakeholders, including social media platforms, to develop a code of conduct and standards for social media platforms,” he said.

Fahmi hopes that with licensing, social media platforms will have a duty of care and be more responsible, taking action in cases of cyberbullying, extremist content, and illegal activities such as drug trafficking and online gambling. - Bernama