Beginning from this year, tech giants operating in Malaysia will be held responsible for any posts that users in that country make, which violates the new laws of the country.
The new law, passed by the Malaysian Parliament in December 2024, takes effect from this year. It requires all tech giants such as X (Twitter), Google, Meta, TikTok and others to apply for social media operating license and take responsibility for all posts on their platforms.
The updated policies, implemented by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, are designed to tackle online threats including scams and cyberbullying. Governments across Asia are taking aim at big tech companies for their accountability over content posted on their platforms.
According to the new law, those that breach the licence could be subject to investigation or supervision.
Bloomberg reported that Tencent’s WeChat and ByteDance’s TikTok have obtained the licence already, while Telegram and Meta Platforms have started the process.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s internet regulator reportedly revealed that Elon Musk’s X and Alphabet’s Google are yet to apply for the license.
X apparently claimed it did not need the licence as the amount of users it has in Malaysia does not meet the threshold of eight million, set by the regulator.
Meanwhile, Google issued a statement to the commission stating it had concerns over the classification of YouTube’s video sharing features under the framework.
GhanaÂ
In Nigeria, regulators have taken steps to ensure global tech giants register and operate as legal entities in that country so that could be held accountable for the conducts of users on their platforms.
Also Read:Â Nigeria compels social media giants to open local offices
Ghanaian regulators are however yet to take a step at holding big tech accountable for the abuse of their platforms, to protect the public. Very little has been done in that direction, not because there have not been incidents of abuses and cyberattacks.
Indeed, as of today, there is no clear law that even recognizes social media platforms as legal entities. So, it would appear that anyone on social media in Ghana is there at his or her own risk.
