Malaysia’s government has removed nearly 2,000 pornographic posts and advertisements from social media since 2022 and reminded tech companies about their obligation to block “inappropriate content”.
Advertisement
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told the Dewan Rakyat, Malaysia’s lower house of parliament, that 1,993 posts and advertisements featuring porn had been taken down between 2022 and February 15 this year, Malaysian media reported on Tuesday.
A total of 3,670 websites were also blocked over the same period for showing inappropriate content, Fahmi added, according to a report by The Star newspaper.
The government had asked social media and online messaging platforms with at least 8 million users to register as application service providers starting this year, Fahmi told parliamentarians.
“Social media platforms have a duty of care to avoid putting up inappropriate content and that is why we need to work with them,” Fahmi said, adding that his ministry had a designated team to tackle harmful online content.
Advertisement
The minister was also asked by a lawmaker to step up measures to stop defamation and sedition against Malaysia’s royalty and politicians at the parliamentary session.
In response, Fahmi said anyone spreading slander would face legal consequences, citing an example of a person who was arrested for failing to show up in court after he allegedly spread misinformation about the Conference of Rulers, a body responsible for picking and suspending kings.