Civil society organizations and individuals in Malaysia have expressed grave concern over the government's move towards implementing a licensing regime for social media. In an open letter addressed to Anwar Ibrahim, a prominent Malaysian politician, they argue that this move increases censorship and restricts freedom of expression, violating constitutional rights and international human rights standards. The signatories of the letter, which include various civil society groups, highlight the government's track record of expanding censorship through amendments to existing laws and the surge of takedown requests of online content. They criticize the government for abusing its power and silencing criticism and dissent. The letter also demands the establishment of a multi-stakeholder mechanism for the oversight of content moderation on social media, investment in media and digital literacy programs, and the repeal or amendment of laws that have been used to censor lawful content. The signatories emphasize the importance of preserving freedom of expression and upholding democratic values in Malaysia. [0a851bc2]
The Malaysian government's plan to license social media and messaging platforms is aimed at combating harmful and illegal content and facilitating revenue-sharing with local content producers. The proposed plans include pre-emptive action to prevent offenses, a kill switch to take down egregious content, content moderation and algorithm audits, and penalties under local law. Major platforms such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), Google, TikTok, and others with over eight million Malaysian users are expected to be involved in the licensing regime. The Cabinet approved the proposal in April, and the plan was initially slated to be announced by July 2024. However, feedback from stakeholders has likely delayed the timeline. The move comes amid growing concerns over freedom of speech and online censorship in Malaysia. [94c6c69d]
Recently, major internet companies including Google, Meta Platforms, and X have urged the Malaysian government to delay the implementation of the social media licensing regulations. They have raised concerns over the unclear nature of the proposed regulations, which they believe could stifle innovation within the digital economy. Malaysia, with a population of 34 million and an internet penetration rate of 97.4%, has 33.59 million internet users as of January 2024. The digital economy is valued at approximately $23 billion, and the country boasts a 5G download speed of 451.79 Mbps. The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) has described the proposed licensing as 'unworkable' and warned that excessive regulations could be costly and ineffective. The compliance deadline for these regulations is set for January 1, 2025, which has further fueled the call for a reassessment of the licensing framework. [505242d8]
Adding to the regulatory landscape, Malaysia's communications regulator, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), has announced a plan for local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to redirect web traffic through their own DNS servers, effective September 30, 2024. The MCMC claims this initiative aims to protect users from harmful content, having blocked 24,277 websites since 2018. However, critics, including state assemblyman Syed Ahmad Syed Abdul Rahman Alhadad and assemblywoman Lim Yi Wei, argue that this plan poses significant censorship risks and could adversely affect the digital economy. These concerns are heightened amid increased scrutiny of online content under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government, which has been in power since 2022. [62e42f88]