Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications is considering a review of the criteria used to determine how many users a social media platform must have before it qualifies as a licensed service provider under national regulations. The move comes amid ongoing concerns linked to harmful content generated by AI tools such as Grok.

Background on Platform Licensing Rules

Since 1 January, social media and messaging services with 8 million or more users in Malaysia have been automatically classified as holders of an ASP(C) licence under Section 46A of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. This “deeming provision” was introduced to ensure that large digital platforms operate within the legal and regulatory framework that governs online communications in the country.

Trigger for the Review

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said that recent issues involving AI content generation tools, in particular Grok being used to produce unlawful and explicit material involving women and children, have highlighted the need to reassess whether the current user count threshold remains appropriate for today’s digital landscape. Fahmi confirmed that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has been tasked with evaluating potential adjustments to this requirement.

What Could Change

The ministry has not yet announced specific changes, but Fahmi noted that platforms like TikTok and Facebook remain highly popular locally, while others like X (formerly Twitter) may not meet the existing user threshold. As part of the review, MCMC will consider what constitutes a suitable user count threshold and what regulatory measures might be needed going forward.

Boosting Age Verification Measures

Separately, the government is also looking at improving age verification systems for social media platforms. Malaysia plans to explore identity verification methods using official documents such as MyKad, passports, and the MyDigital ID to help enforce age-appropriate access to online content.

Fahmi said this is being developed through an Electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) process that leverages the country’s unique national identification systems. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.