The government of Malaysia has issued a stern warning to the social media giant Meta, demanding that the company do more to combat the proliferation of online crime, including scams and illegal gambling advertisements, on its platforms.
The call for action was delivered by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who expressed growing frustration with the prevalence of harmful content targeting Malaysian citizens.
The minister highlighted a significant increase in the number of fraudulent and malicious posts on Meta’s platforms, particularly Facebook.
He stated that despite previous discussions and commitments from the company, the volume of online scams and illegal gambling ads remains unacceptably high.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has reportedly submitted numerous requests to Meta for the removal of such content, but the response has been deemed insufficient.
Minister Fadzil warned that the Malaysian government is prepared to take firm action if Meta does not demonstrate a more proactive and effective approach to content moderation.
While he did not specify the exact measures that could be taken, the statement implies that regulatory or legal consequences could be on the table.
The government’s stance reflects a growing global trend of authorities holding major technology companies accountable for the content hosted on their platforms.
The issue is particularly pressing in Malaysia, where online scams and illegal gambling operations have become a significant concern for both law enforcement and the public.
The government is now placing the onus squarely on Meta to uphold its responsibility to protect users and to work more closely with authorities in Malaysia to create a safer online environment.
