KUALA LUMPUR: Blocking or removing social media content or accounts can only be carried out by platform providers, says Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
The government, he said, has no authority to instruct social media platform providers to take such actions, which are only carried out if the content or account is found to have violated the law.
“When a piece of content or an account is taken down or blocked, it means the platform believes it has breached laws,” he said after launching the Nadi Aspirasi Nasional Bersama Anak Muda (Nanba) programme.
Earlier, in his speech, Fahmi said 173,642 pieces of content had been taken down by social media platform providers since Jan 1.
Fahmi said 51% or more than 90,000 of the total were involved in online gambling, while over 43,000 were scam-related, with the remainder linked to other criminal activities, Bernama reported.
He said Facebook was identified as the platform with the highest number of online gambling and scam advertisements, followed by TikTok, while Telegram was found to be the weakest in managing scam-related issues.
“Of the content requested for removal on Telegram, half were scams, but the platform did not take down all of them.
“We need to be firm with these platforms.
“Telegram representatives will be in Kuala Lumpur this week to continue discussions with MCMC on scams, online gambling, child sexual abuse material, prostitution content and copyrighted films or TV episodes previously accessible via various Telegram channels,” he said.
The Nanba programme, inspired by the Tamil word “friend”, is a Community Communications Department initiative that reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Indian community while expanding the inclusive and effective delivery of government information.
