Social media usage and perception in Malaysia

Vase.ai in collaboration with Astro Awani conducted a survey among 1,080 Malaysians on their social media usage, their perception on social media regulation and the mass shooting at the mosques in Christchurch.

When it comes to social media behavior it was noted that Facebook is less likely to be used by those under 25 and this group prefers Instagram instead.

Some 49% said they spend more time on social media compared to last year.

Perceptions of social media

Almost half 47% of people feel that social media companies should be regulated by their own rules and regulations with an external governing body that does not necessarily have to be the government.

In addition to that below are some notable findings:

Majority (83%) said that they have come across content on social media that they have found offensive.

Majority (70%) said that social media companies should be responsible to share information with the government about suspicious activities that help the government prevent terror events from happening.

Majority (86%) said that the government is responsible for educating the public on social media etiquette.

61% of those who said that the government is responsible for educating the public on social media etiquette thinks the government is not doing enough to educate the public.

Majority (82%) think that social media companies are responsible to prevent the distribution of racial prejudice, religious prejudice, gender prejudice, sexual or violent content while 92% also think that social media companies are responsible to keep content safe for consumption.

Majority (71%) of those think that social media companies are responsible to prevent distribution of racial prejudice, religious prejudice, gender prejudice, sexual and violence.

Majority (75%) think that social media companies should not have control on what people post state that social media companies should be allowed to take down content that violates any rules & regulations.

Majority (80%) said that the government should impose a penalty for inappropriate content being shared.

Majority (79%) of those who think that the government should regulate when there are inappropriate content being shared said that the government should punish those who CREATE the content.

23% said that they have shared content that contains racial prejudice, religious prejudice, gender prejudice, sex or violence.

47% of those who have shared content that contains racial prejudice, religious prejudice, gender prejudice, sex or violence did it to create awareness against the content while 42% did so to inform people on what is happening.

Majority (91%) have heard about the mass shooting that took place at the mosques in Christchurch.
44% of those who have heard about the mass shooting watched part of the mass shooting video while 21% watched the full video.

Majority (89%) of those who find the mass shooting in Christchurch offensive also think that the video should be removed by social media companies.