Malaysia orders TikTok to address defamatory content about the monarch

Malaysia’s Internet Watchdog Orders Social Media Platform to Strengthen Moderation

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has instructed TikTok to take immediate action against content deemed “grossly offensive” about the country’s monarchy. The regulator stated that it issued the order after finding the platform’s response to previous notifications to be unsatisfactory.

According to the MCMC, the social media company is required to strengthen its moderation policies and provide a formal explanation for its failure to block the content in question, which includes AI-generated videos and manipulated images. The regulator emphasized that it takes a serious view of online platforms being used to disseminate false or detrimental content, particularly as it relates to the monarchy.

The MCMC’s order comes after an account purporting to be linked to King Sultan Ibrahim was found to contain such content. Malaysia has laws in place that penalize speech deemed to inspire hatred or contempt towards the royal family under a sedition law passed in 1948.

This is not the first time the MCMC has taken action against TikTok. In January, the regulator briefly blocked access to the AI assistant Grok amid a global backlash over its use to create sexually explicit images of people without their consent.

The MCMC’s actions are part of efforts by Malaysian authorities to regulate social media platforms. The government is also preparing to enforce legislation passed last year to prohibit social media use by under-16s, following similar moves by countries such as Australia, Indonesia, and France.

Source: Al Jazeera