Deputy minister Teo Nie Ching calls for stricter pre-screening of sponsored content after MCMC removes over 20,000 harmful posts in early 2025.
KULAI: Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching has urged digital platforms to implement stricter pre-screening for sponsored content promoting gambling and fraud.
She expressed concern that such harmful material, paid to reach wider audiences, is being widely detected on social media.
Teo stated that most content reported to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission was identified as sponsored posts.
“Although the platforms agreed to remove the content after complaints, such action usually took place only after the material had already been displayed,” she told reporters.
She questioned why this content is not filtered more effectively before publication.
“This indirectly facilitates online fraud and gambling activities,” Teo added.
In the first 15 days of this year, MCMC removed 15,519 pieces of online gambling content.
It also took down 5,241 pieces containing fraudulent elements, some of which were sponsored posts.
Accordingly, MCMC will use provisions under the Online Safety Act to ensure platform providers fulfil their responsibilities.
Teo said this focuses on improving content assessment and approval processes for classified licensees.
The move aims to ensure harmful content is removed more quickly.
It also seeks to prevent such material from being published in the first place.
MCMC will continue to work closely with police in addressing online gambling and fraud issues.
The public is encouraged to submit complaints through MCMC’s official channels.
“We want to ensure platforms are held accountable,” Teo said.
She added they must not allow clearly harmful content to exist in their digital spaces.
