Facebook parent Meta questions Malaysia’s social media licensing plan

A Meta official on Wednesday called the timeline to apply for a licence ‘exceptionally accelerated’, saying the plan lacked clarity

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Malaysia has urged social media firms, including Facebook parent Meta and short video platform TikTok, to step up monitoring. Photo: dpa

Published: 4:30pm, 30 Oct 2024Updated: 6:50pm, 30 Oct 2024

A Meta Platforms official on Wednesday criticised Malaysia’s plan to require social media platforms to apply for a regulatory licence by January, saying the proposal lacked clear guidelines and gave social companies little time to comply, risking digital innovation and growth in the country.

Malaysia said in July it will require social media platforms and messaging services with more than 8 million users to obtain a licence, as part of efforts to curb financial scams, cyberbullying and sexual crimes online.

The companies could face legal action if they failed to do so by January 1, 2025.

The plan has faced a backlash, with an Asian industry group that includes Meta urging the government in August to pause the move. Malaysia however has said it will not delay the proposed regulations, with Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil saying tech companies must comply with local laws to continue operating the country.

Meta’s director of public policy for Southeast Asia Rafael Frankel said the firm has not yet decided if it plans to apply for the licence ahead of the January deadline, due to a lack of clarity over the new regulations.

Malaysia’s Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil. Photo: AFP

The timeline to apply for a licence was “exceptionally accelerated” and the obligations for social media firms under the plan remained unclear, Frankel said in an interview.