KUALA LUMPUR: There has been an alarming increase in the number of sexual crime cases involving children through social media reported in the country, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said.
Citing police statistics, Teo said that a total of 525 cases were reported last year, an increase from the 360 cases reported in 2022.
She added that there were a total of 288 cases reported in the country during the first six months of this year.
"What is more alarming is that 94 percent of teenagers in this country, aged 12 to 17, are online, and their safety in today's digital age should be a primary concern.
"Children in the country have become increasingly exposed to online sexual abuse, exploitation and other dangerous experiences," she said at the Girls in Communication Technology (GICT) forum today.
On a related matter, Teo said online gambling cases have also increased from 18,814 in 2023 to 62,403 in the first seven months of this year.
She added that 24,453 online fraud and scam content have been removed during the same period this year, compared to only 6,297 last year.
"The number of cybercrimes continues to rise even though we have engaged with social media platforms (to address the issue).
"As such, the ministry through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will launch a National Online Awareness Campaign.
"This initiative aims to educate the public on more responsible, positive, and productive internet usage," she said.