PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will summon Meta to provide an official explanation following a Reuters report alleging that the company profited from advertisements linked to fraud and online gambling.
MCMC said it viewed the report seriously, describing the matter as a potential breach of public trust and the law if proven true.
“MCMC shares the concerns expressed by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, and will commence an investigation into the matter,” it said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.
The commission also revealed that between Jan 1 and Nov 4 this year, it had submitted a total of 157,208 takedown requests to Meta involving advertisements promoting illegal activities, and 44,922 related specifically to fraudulent advertisements – the highest number compared to other platforms.
During the same period, MCMC submitted 3,956 takedown requests to TikTok, 269 to Telegram, 11 to X and 45,448 to YouTube for similar issues.
“MCMC has advised Meta to take more proactive measures to combat online fraud and gambling, as its current efforts remain insufficient,” it said.
The commission further emphasised that all social media platforms and online messaging services must be legally licensed and demonstrate the effectiveness of their systems in preventing illegal activities.
“If there is evidence that any platform is abetting or facilitating illegal activities, appropriate action will be taken in accordance with the laws of the country.”
MCMC had also investigated more than 1,400 complaints under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) since 2020.
Improper use of network facilities or services to create or transmit content that is obscene, indecent, false, menacing or grossly offensive, especially if done with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass a person, is an offence under Section 233 of Act 588.
Separately, the Communications Ministry said MCMC investigated 1,417 complaints under Section 233 between Jan 1, 2020, and Oct 31 this year.
Of these, 61 cases were prosecuted in court, while 40 cases were slapped with compounds totalling RM727,500.00. Another 167 cases received warnings.
“The remaining 1,149 cases comprise those still under investigation as well as cases on which no further action was taken,” the ministry said in a parliamentary written reply dated Nov 6 to Raub MP Chow Yu Hui.
In the first 10 months of this year, MCMC already received 545 complaints, a figure that exceeded the annual totals seen in the past five years.
The corresponding figures for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 are 188, 57, 157, 155 and 315.
