Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, recently voiced concerns over Malaysia’s impending social media licensing mandate. The plan, expected to be implemented by January 1, 2025, would require social media and messaging platforms with over eight million users to obtain a license to operate within the country. Malaysia’s aim is to address rising concerns over digital issues like financial scams, cyberbullying, and online sexual crimes, but Meta officials argue that the regulations remain too vague to comply with and may stifle digital growth.
According to Meta’s Southeast Asia Director of Public Policy, Rafael Frankel, the accelerated timeline and unclear obligations present significant challenges. “These regulations tend to take a couple years to go through multiple iterations…to balance safety and innovation,” he said in an interview with Reuters. Malaysia, however, has been firm in its stance, with Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stating that companies must adhere to local laws to continue operations in the country.
While Meta has not yet decided whether it will seek a license, Frankel emphasized the company’s commitment to online safety, noting, “We don’t need a licensing regime to take online safety seriously. We already take it seriously.” In addition to sharing these concerns with Malaysian officials, Meta has expressed a desire to find common ground before the regulations take effect.
The upcoming regulations fall under a broader push by Malaysia to control harmful content, particularly related to gambling, scams, and child exploitation. Earlier this year, Malaysia recorded a sharp rise in dangerous online content and urged companies like Meta and TikTok to increase monitoring. Minister Fahmi expressed appreciation for Meta’s willingness to cooperate on harmful content issues, but encouraged more proactive steps on certain matters, including sexual content involving minors.
This move by Malaysia mirrors similar trends across Asia, where governments are increasingly pushing for tighter regulations to curb online harms, sometimes clashing with major tech companies over the balance between safety and free digital growth. As industry groups and social media companies urge more detailed guidelines, Malaysia’s decision on how strictly to enforce the proposed licensing rules could set a precedent in the region.
