KUALA LUMPUR: An academic has called on social media platforms to be more transparent, saying this was important as the government pushes for better Internet safety.
International Islamic University Malaysia communications lecturer Shafizan Mohamed said some social media platforms were not transparent enough, especially in moderating content.
"When we talk about Ismail Haniyeh, Palestine or Gaza, some content are suddenly removed, but Meta or X never said what can or cannot be shared on their platforms", Shafizan told the New Straits Times.
She said in this respect, it was also crucial for the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to have clear guidelines on what was expected of the social media platforms.
"Whatever it is, there must be transparency," she said when commenting on MCMC's frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the regulatory framework for social media and Internet messaging platforms.
She added that both reactive and proactive approaches by MCMC must be undertaken, including responding to public complaints, active monitoring, and spot checks.
In enforcing the regulations, Shafizan proposed third-party audits, citing the example of Australia's E-Safety Commissioner.
The E-Safety Commissioner is a statutory office established under the Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015, and is independent to ensure impartiality in its operations.
Shafizan said the establishment of such a mechanism would ensure fairer arbitration between the authorities and the platforms.
"There must be an appeal process. An avenue for social media platforms to appeal or challenge MCMC's decision if they feel they have been treated unfairly", she said.
In its FAQ, MCMC had said its decisions were subjected to relevant processes and procedures under the Communications and Multimedia Act, which included provisions for appeals and a judicial review.
Beginning Thursday, social media and online messaging services providers with at least eight million users in the country must apply for a licence. This licensing requirement will be enforced from Jan 1.
Meanwhile, Shafizan said she also welcomed efforts to strengthen the Personal Data Protection Act to protect user data.
"I welcome the proposed enhancement of the act. We must hold platforms accountable whenever they use our data or when there are any data breaches," she said.