Meta, TikTok report jump in Malaysia govt requests to remove content in
2023
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[December 15, 2023] By
Rozanna Latiff and Danial Azhar
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Facebook-owner Meta and China's TikTok
restricted a record number of social media posts and accounts in
Malaysia in the first six months of 2023, data published by the firms
showed, amid a jump in government requests to remove content.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration, which came to
power in November 2022 on a reformist platform, has faced accusations of
backpedaling on its promises to protect freedom of speech amid increased
scrutiny of online content in recent months.
The government has denied allegations of stifling dissent online, saying
it wanted to curb provocative posts that touch on race, religion and
royalty.
Between January and June this year, Meta restricted about 3,100 pages
and posts on its Facebook and Instagram platforms from being viewed by
users in Malaysia because they were reported to have allegedly violated
local laws, according to data published in the firm's twice-yearly
Transparency Report this month.
The figure was six times higher than in the previous half-year period
and the highest since the company began reporting content restrictions
in Malaysia in 2017.
Meta said between July 2022 and June 2023, it restricted access to more
than 3,500 items in response to reports by Malaysia's communications
regulator and other government agencies.
The content included criticism of the government and posts that
allegedly violated laws on illegal gambling, hate speech, racially or
religiously divisive content, bullying and financial scams, Meta's
report said.
Short video platform TikTok, in a similar report issued last month, said
it had received 340 requests from the Malaysian government to remove or
restrict content between January and June 2023, affecting 890 posts and
accounts.
TikTok removed or restricted 815 of those for violating local laws or
the platform's community guidelines - the highest in a six-month period
since it began reporting requests from Malaysia in 2019, the data
showed. It was triple the number TikTok removed in the second half of
2022.
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The TikTok app logo is seen in this illustration taken August 22,
2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Malaysia made more requests to restrict content on TikTok than any
other government in Southeast Asia, the data showed. Meta did not
publish the total number of government requests it received for
content restrictions.
The Malaysian government did not respond to a request for comment on
the data. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said this week the
communications regulator often acted upon complaints from ordinary
users, denying allegations that he had requested the agency to seek
the removal of posts critical of him on social media.
Race and religion are sensitive issues in Malaysia, which has a
predominantly Muslim ethnic Malay population but significant ethnic
Chinese and Indian minorities. It also has laws prohibiting
seditious remarks or insults against its monarchy.
Fahmi said in October that TikTok had not done enough to curb
defamatory or misleading content on its platform and accused it of
failing to comply with some local laws. TikTok said it would take
proactive measures to address the issues raised.
The government also threatened to take legal action against Meta for
failing to act against "undesirable" content but dropped the plan
after meetings with the company.
Free speech group Article 19 denounced the removal of posts critical
of the government and expressed concerns over its increased requests
to restrict content, warning that it could stifle legitimate free
speech and expression.
"It is never permissible to prohibit expression solely because it
casts a critical view on social issues, public figures or government
institutions," said Nalini Elumalai, its senior Malaysia program
officer.
(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff and Danial Azhar; Editing by Jamie
Freed)
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