Key Points
- Malaysia’s new social media law mandates licensing for platforms with over 8 million users.
- WeChat and TikTok have secured licenses, while Telegram is nearing approval. Meta has initiated the licensing process.
- X claims it does not meet the user threshold. Google has not applied, citing concerns over YouTube’s classification under the law.
- As cybercrime rises, the law targets harmful content, including scams and cyberbullying. TikTok leads the Malaysian user base with 28.68 million users.
Malaysia’s communications regulator has granted Tencent’s WeChat and ByteDance’s TikTok licenses to operate under a new social media law designed to combat increasing cybercrime. The regulation, effective from January 1, requires platforms with over 8 million users in Malaysia to obtain a license or risk legal action.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced that Telegram is in the final stages of obtaining its license, while Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has begun the licensing process. However, the commission stated that X (formerly Twitter) has not applied, claiming its user base in Malaysia does not reach the 8 million threshold. MCMC is currently verifying the validity of X’s claim.
Alphabet’s Google, which operates YouTube, has also not applied for a license. Google has raised concerns about how YouTube’s video-sharing features are classified under the new law. While the regulator did not specify the nature of these concerns, it emphasized that YouTube must comply with the regulations. MCMC warned that platforms failing to meet licensing requirements could face investigations and regulatory action.
The law comes amid a sharp rise in harmful online content reported in early 2024. Malaysian authorities have called on social media companies, including Meta and TikTok, to intensify platform monitoring. Content deemed harmful includes online gambling, scams, child pornography, grooming, cyberbullying, and sensitive material related to race, religion, and royalty.
Independent data provider World Population Review estimates WeChat has 12 million users in Malaysia. Advisory firm Kepios reported that TikTok has 28.68 million users aged 18 and above, YouTube 24.1 million users, Facebook 22.35 million users, and X has 5.71 million. These figures underscore the significance of the new law in regulating the digital space.