KUALA LUMPUR: Social media platform TikTok has increased the number of moderators to scrutinise content and live sessions in all languages, including Tamil.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the decision was made following the death of social media influencer A. Rajeshwary, better known as Esha, who allegedly committed suicide earlier this month due to cyberbullying.
Fahmi said TikTok viewed the incident seriously and has expressed regret over the incident.
"The current phenomenon is that many live sessions carried out on TikTok occur in the middle of the night and the same happened in the case of the late Rajeshwary where I was informed that the live session took place around 3 to 4am.
"Hence, the mode of monitoring must change and in my discussions with TikTok, they have informed me that they were deeply affected by the incident and they take the matter seriously.
"As such, they have immediately increased the number of moderators who will scrutinise content and live sessions, including in vernacular languages such as Tamil," he said during minister's question time in Dewan Rakyat, today.
Fahmi also said every social media platform has a moderation team and the monitoring carried out by the Malaysian Communication Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will depend on the complaints lodged by the public, among other things.
He said this in response to a supplementary question by Yuneswaran Ramaraj (PH-Segamat) who enquired about the government's plans to ensure content and live sessions carried out on social media platforms using other languages are being thoroughly monitored.
Yuneswaran also said the live session by the late Rajeshwary was conducted in Tamil.
On July 5, Esha was found dead at her residence in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, a day after filing a report about the criminal threats and defamation she had received. (reference:
Consequently, two TikTok accounts were investigated by police, suspected of using Rajeswary's image as the background of their video content uploaded to their respective accounts.
The content allegedly contained threats and abusive, obscene language directed at the victim.
Acting on information, two people associated with the TikTok accounts were detained for investigation under Section 506 of the Penal Code, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955.
Meanwhile, Fahmi also urged all members of Parliament to play their role and work alongside the government to ensure children under the age of 13 do not open a social media account.
He added that while no platform allows children under 13 to own an account, the platforms are negligent in verifying the age of their account holders.
"Hence, I urge all MPs to work together to ensure that our internet is not just fast, cheap and extensive but also safer for our children and families."