Sources say the cabinet approved the licensing proposal in April, a month after the Communications Ministry told Parliament that the MCMC was finalising the framework. However, a purported July announcement will reportedly be pushed back pending feedback from industry players.
The plan, first mooted in late 2023, would involve the likes of Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp), Google, TikTok and X as well as a host of other platforms with more than eight million Malaysian users.
The aim was also to facilitate revenue-sharing with local content producers such as news media, as well as to stem what authorities deem as harmful and illegal content, while regulating political content.
Content Oversight
Meanwhile, sources cited in the report said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) made several proposals on content regulation during briefing sessions. This included proposed pre-emptive action to prevent offences, which platform owners and civil society groups both opposed.
Other proposals required platforms to open up their content moderation and algorithms to be subject to audits, as well as a kill switch to remove objectionable content. At present, the MCMC already issues take-down notices to social media platforms.
In the case of Facebook, posts that are flagged by the MCMC but do not violate the platform’s own rules are restricted from Malaysian audiences.
Meanwhile, TikTok revealed in a report that between June and Dec 2023, Malaysia topped the global TikTok takedown requests to the platform.
The MCMC had defended its actions, saying it was meant to protect social media users citing that 70% of over 25,000 take-down requests made in 2023 were against scams and online gambling.
Rocky Rules
Earlier this month, Rocky Bru also known as Datuk Ahirudin Attan (picture), President of the National Press Club of Malaysia, reportedly said, “The media must remain independent and not be compelled to remove published articles at the behest of any authority, including police or government officials.”
“If an editor feels intimidated, then he or she should resign. You can only take down or correct your story if it is not true. If you are convinced it’s going to slander someone, you don’t publish the story. You ensure the facts are right, and if someone tells you to take it down, you give them the middle finger and say, ‘I’ve got a job to do’.”
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The APPIES is an annual event that presents a rare opportunity for creative, media, digital and marketing agencies or brands to present their best campaigns to the industry.
This is the only event where Live Presentations meets Live Judging.
Similar to TED Talks, The APPIES is the chance for great presenters with outstanding work to show it off to some of the industry’s most important industry leaders.
This year’s winners will receive Gold, Silver or Bronze trophies for 21 categories, and 6 special Best of Best categories (red trophies) that require no submissions!
Campaign entries must have run between June 2023 to May 2024
Submissions Deadline
30th June 2024
APPIES Festival – Judging & Presentations
11th – 12th July 2024 (Malaysia)
