Internet giant Google and billionaire Elon Musk’s X had failed to register for a social media licence to operate in Malaysia by the government’s January 1 deadline.
Advertisement
But Chinese platforms WeChat and TikTok led other tech giants in signing up to the new rules, Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said on Wednesday.
In July, the commission said social media platforms with more than eight million users must obtain a licence to operate in the country by January 1, 2025.
The commission argues that this is necessary to combat cybercrimes, including scams, cyberbullying, and sexual offences against children, citing platform operators’ lackadaisical attitude towards such content.
However, it has not specified penalties for non-compliance.
In a statement on Wednesday, the MCMC said that X argued that its user base in Malaysia does not meet the 8 million user threshold.
Advertisement