PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has expressed disappointment towards platform providers for not taking swift action to crack down on fake accounts despite them having received multiple reports on the issue.
MCMC in a statement today said the delay in action from platform providers – namely Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram – has hampered its efforts to protect social media users from fake accounts.
It explained that the fake accounts were created primarily for fraudulent purposes, such as to impersonate and misuse the identities of individuals as well as other entities, which could lead to financial losses for some users.
The Commission added that as social media platform providers operate outside of Malaysia and are not regulated under local guidelines, it is highly dependent on these companies to take the necessary steps to curb abuse.
Therefore MCMC is urging platform providers to be more responsible and responsive towards the reports that it has submitted, adding that platform providers have a responsibility to protect its users’ best interests and online safety.
At the same time, the regulatory body also reminded social media users to be aware of fake accounts and to be mindful of their conduct on social media.
MCMC has previously urged users to take action against fake accounts by reporting the profiles to the platform providers using the tools that are available on the sites.
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