During the recent Praxis 2024 public policy conference, Anuar Fariz Fadzil of TikTok emphasized the importance of self-regulation in the face of Malaysia’s planned regulatory tightening for social media platforms. He expressed willingness to embrace a licensing regime but stressed the need for collaboration in its development.
TikTok is the first platform to take a public stance on Malaysia’s regulations, which require social media companies to obtain licenses by year-end. The government aims to tackle harmful content online, but concerns have been raised about potential restrictions on freedom of speech.
Anuar highlighted TikTok’s existing content guidelines and the need to adapt to local laws. Others in the industry have expressed worries about the broad scope of the new regulations.
As discussions continue, stakeholders urge the government to engage with all parties to strike a balance between combating online crimes and protecting user freedoms in Malaysia.