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Last year, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced a regulatory framework that requires social media and internet messaging apps to apply for an annual licence.
Companies that operate social media platforms and services with at least eight million Malaysian users — such as Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, and Telegram — were required to apply for this licence before the regulation went into effect on 1 January, 2025.
It has now been roughly eight months since the regulation came into effect, and so far, only a handful of platforms are confirmed to have successfully obtained the Application Service Provider Class, otherwise known as ASP(C), licence.
Three major Asia-based companies are now licenced
According to news reports in July, three companies are now ASP(C) licence holders under the MCMC framework: WeChat International Private Limited, TikTok Private Limited, and Telegram Messenger Incorporated.
Meanwhile, American tech giants Meta (Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) and Google’s YouTube were reported to have been in the final stages of their application process, according to a report by online media outlet Scoop on 1 January.
However, a Malay Mail article dated 30 July quoted Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil as saying that the US-based platforms have yet to acquire the ASP(C) licence.
Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) earlier informed Malaysian authorities that its user base does not match the eight million user threshold required for mandatory licencing, but MCMC launched a study on user numbers across platforms under the licencing framework to examine whether X needs to be registered as an ASP(C) licence holder.
TRP reached out to MCMC on Monday (18 August) to ask if there are any platforms that have yet to gain the licence, and if there has been any action taken against the companies that are still operating here in Malaysia despite not holding the ASP(C) licence.
At time of press, MCMC has not responded to our questions.
What is the Application Service Provider Class licence for?
MCMC implemented the APS(C) licence requirement in an effort to curb harmful online content, combat cybercrimes, and safeguard users, particularly children, by establishing a new regulatory framework for social media and internet messaging platforms with a significant user base in Malaysia.
This initiative aims to hold platforms accountable for illegal and harmful content, promote transparency in advertising, and foster a safer, more trustworthy digital ecosystem.
Under the licence, platforms would need to implement the following:
- Protect user data
- Protect child safety, including restricting users under 13 years old.
- Address online harm including cyberbullying, online scams, and sexual grooming activities.
- Promote advertisement transparency and restrict advertisements promoting scams.
- Safeguard minors from harmful content and misleading advertisements.
- Manage deepfakes and harmful artifical-intelligence (AI) generated content.
Earlier, MCMC stated that the new regulatory framework is aligned with the governments’ efforts to create a safer online environment for all Malaysians, especially children and those vulnerable to online harm.
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