KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — The federal government today put the senior management of TikTok on notice over the alleged failure to act decisively against misinformation and ensuring safety on its platform.
The reprimand came after the government summoned the social media giant to a meeting at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman to discuss growing user complaints.
Despite the firm rebuke, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil clarified that the government has no intention of banning the platform.
Speaking at a press conference at Bukit Aman, Fahmi detailed the government’s frustrations with TikTok’s inaction on several fronts.
“I am extremely dissatisfied with TikTok’s lackadaisical approach towards regulating certain online safety issues we have raised before this,” he said.
Citing the case of cyberbullying victim Rajeswary Appahu as an example, Fahmi said TikTok had previously pledged to enhance moderation of its live content but failed to deliver on that promise.
He also accused the platform of failing to respond in a timely manner when pressed by authorities for crucial information related to online scams.
“Their insubordination to Malaysian laws risks having legal action imposed upon them, and I will leave the matter to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to make that determination,” he warned.
Demands for better regulation
During the hour-long meeting, Fahmi said the government reminded TikTok of its obligation to adhere to Malaysian laws.
He noted that while the company assured that “certain measures will be implemented,” these were not discussed in-depth.
One key mechanism being considered, he said, is the implementation of effective age verification, as children under 13 are still able to access the application despite platform rules.
“I am giving them time to assess the government’s request, including issues faced by the police’s criminal and commercial crimes investigation departments,” Fahmi said.
He disclosed that while TikTok had taken down 76,002 pieces of reported content between Jan 1 and Aug 31 following MCMC requests, another 10,730 items remained online because the platform deemed they did not violate its own community guidelines.
“It is clear that the current mechanism cannot be used; it has failed,” Fahmi concluded, adding that the government would soon meet with Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and X on similar issues.
