Malaysia to sue Meta over ‘undesirable content’ on Facebook
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Meta said in August 2022 that it had removed over 600 accounts from all its social network platforms.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian authorities on Friday said they would take legal action against Facebook’s parent company Meta after it failed to remove undesirable content from the social media platform despite repeated requests.
Facebook has recently seen a significant amount of undesirable content relating to race, royalty, religion, defamation, impersonation, online gambling and scam advertisements, said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
“Meta’s response, which has been sluggish and unsatisfactory, has not met the urgency of the matter and has led to increasing public concern and scrutiny.
“As there is no sufficient cooperation from Meta, MCMC has no option but to take definitive steps or legal action against Meta as a measure to ensure that people are secure and protected in the digital sphere,” it added.
MCMC said that taking legal action against Meta would promote accountability for cyber security and enhance consumer protection against scams and fraudulent activities.
Constitutional senior lawyer Rajan Navaratnam said that under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 of the federal law, MCMC is empowered to take legal action against Meta.
This, he added, includes action against the principal officers of the company such as directors, chief executives or managers, who could be charged individually or jointly with the company.
“These will be deemed as criminal charges under Section 233. The punishment for such an offence committed would be a fine not exceeding RM50,000 (S$14,500), imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both,” he said.
Citing Section 233, Mr Rajan said MCMC can pursue legal proceedings against any person or company over the improper use of any network facility or service to make or transmit comments that are obscene, indecent, false or offensive that may cause annoyance, abuse, threats or harassment.
Although the act is under Malaysia’s federal law, Mr Rajan said it can also be enforced on any person that is outside the country as long as improper use of a network facility is made in Malaysia, as the act provides for extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Meta said in August 2022 that it had removed more than 600 accounts from all its social network platforms,
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram said the fake accounts posted memes in the Malay language in support of the previous administration led by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, which attempted to paint its critics as corrupt.
Under the Anwar-led government, Malaysia has been scrutinising social media content over concerns that these platforms pose a threat to the nation’s well-being.
Heavier penalties under Section 233 were being considered with amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Act, said Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching in Parliament on March 13.
MCMC on Friday said it is intolerant towards the abuse of online platforms and telecommunications, network or online facilities for malicious cyber activities, phishing, and content that threatens racial stability and social harmony, and defies respect for the rulers.
In March, China’s social media platform TikTok announced it had removed more than 650,000 videos in Malaysia in the third quarter of 2022 that violated its community guidelines, including content with hate speech and misinformation.
