Previously, we reported that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) threatened to take action against Telegram for its failure to cooperate and address criminal activities on its platform. But they finally gave in and had a discussion with the government. Now, the commission has set its eyes on Meta for similar reason.
MCMC announced today that it will be taking legal action against Meta Platforms Inc, the parent company responsible for popular social media platforms Facebook and WhatsApp. The government agency expressed dissatisfaction with Meta’s lack of cooperation and inadequate measures in addressing the presence of harmful content on their platforms.
In the statement, MCMC said “Facebook has recently been plagued by a significant volume of undesirable contents relating to the aspects of Race, Royalty, Religion (3R), defamation, impersonation, online gambling as well as scam advertisements”.
MCMC also added that despite making multiple requests, Meta failed to adequately address the presence of objectionable content on its platform and has shown a lack of full cooperation in the removal of such content.
The commission said that Meta’s response to the issue has been slow and unsatisfactory, causing growing public concern and scrutiny and this gave them no choice but to take decisive action, potentially legal measures, against Meta in order to ensure the security and protection of individuals in the digital realm. This action is crucial for promoting accountability in cybersecurity and strengthening consumer protection against online harms, including fraudulent activities and scams.
Furthermore, the MCMC stated that they strongly condemns the ongoing and escalating misuse of online platforms, telecommunications, networks, and online facilities for malicious cyber activities, phishing attempts, or any content that poses a threat to racial stability, social harmony, and respect for the Rulers.
