PETALING JAYA: Star Media Group Berhad, which publishes The Star print products and online portal, refers to a Facebook page that is running an ad that leads to a site misusing The Star’s brand identity.
It has come to the group’s attention that a Facebook page called "Black pather" is advertising on the Meta social platform and appears to use The Star's online masthead.
The ad on Facebook appears to look like an article on The Star's website and has a headline of a false incident in which it claims that “MALAYSIANS ARE SHOCKED! IF YOU ARE 30 YEARS OLD AND A MALAYSIAN RESIDENT, READ THIS IMMEDIATELY!”
This ad has a photo of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with the caption: “This is something no one expected! Read more here.”
The group wishes to clarify that the aforementioned Facebook Page is not affiliated with The Star’s official social media platforms or web presence in any way.
The Star – which Reuters named one of the most trusted sources of news in Malaysia – publishes on its official website thestar.com.my.
To ensure you are looking at a genuine article by The Star, always check the web page address to confirm that the URL begins with https://www.thestar.com.my/.
Should you come across Facebook advertisements or suspicious Facebook pages impersonating The Star or any other brands, please take the following steps.
First, please tap or click the ellipsis (...) symbol on the top right of the ad or Page, then choose the exclamation point symbol next to “Find support or report”.
Then, the pop-up window will state: “Find support or report Page: Help us understand what's happening.”
Here, choose the “Pretending to be something” option, then choose “A business”.
When the new pop-up window asks “Which business is this profile pretending to be?”, type in The Star or paste The Star’s official Facebook Page URL (https://www.facebook.com/TheStarOnline), select The Star from the drop down tab, and Send your report.
This will alert Meta of those impersonating The Star’s online presence on its social media platforms, and help ensure a safer online environment for all.
