Communications Ministry reviews eight million user threshold for social media platforms, following AI Grok’s harmful content and age verification plans.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Communications is examining the feasibility of revising the user threshold for social media platforms to be deemed registered licence holders.
Effective January 1, all internet messaging and social media service providers with eight million or more users in Malaysia are deemed registered as Application Service Provider Class licence holders.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said this move follows recent issues involving the AI tool “Grok,” which generated harmful and obscene content involving women and children.
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He noted that the user threshold might undergo adjustments, and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has been tasked with studying the matter.
“We are in the process of evaluating this because while platforms like TikTok and Facebook are very popular in Malaysia, X might be less so,” he said.
Fahmi added that given the issues with Grok, the Ministry and MCMC see a justification to review the decision regarding the user count.
“I leave it to the MCMC to study what limit is appropriate and what actions need to be taken,” he told the media after an event at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Bandaraya.
On December 15, the MCMC announced the user threshold was aimed at ensuring large-scale service providers operate within the country’s legal framework.
However, X reported that its user count in Malaysia has not reached the eight-million threshold.
On January 11, the MCMC ordered a temporary restriction on access to AI Grok for users in Malaysia.
Fahmi also said the government intends to implement age verification for social media platform users through three official documents.
These are MyKad, passport, and MyDigital ID, using an Electronic Know Your Customer identity verification mechanism.
“We see that several countries have successfully implemented age limits, but the mechanism we will use will be different due to Malaysia’s uniqueness,” he said.
He added that mechanisms like MyKad are unique to Malaysia, and the system will be developed accordingly. – Bernama
