KUALA LUMPUR: Most cyberbullying and child sexual abuse cases involve culprits using fake social media accounts, which pose challenges for authorities, including the police, in tracing and arresting them.
This, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, said was among the reasons the government is imposing the regulatory framework for the licensing of social media and online messaging platforms.
He also said the actions taken by platform operators in curbing the use of fake social media accounts in issues surrounding cyberbullying, scams and pedophilia were ineffective.
"This is why the government intends to have social media platforms have licenses so they comply with the laws that we have in the country.
"At the same time, the issue raised by the police was that when they conduct investigations, they often cannot trace the individuals behind fake accounts.
"Therefore, we need to do something to reduce the number of fake accounts," he said when met by reporters after the unity government convention for the Lembah Pantai constituency.
The government previously announced a regulatory framework for the licensing of social media and online messaging platforms.
Fahmi, who is also the government's spokesman, said the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will engage with all stakeholders, including social media and online messaging platform providers, to define the code of conduct and determine the consequences for non-compliance with directives.
He said platforms without a license by January 2025 could face shutdowns under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.