Following Singapore's trial last year of requiring advertisers on Facebook to undergo identity verification, the Malaysian government is considering following this measure to strengthen online regulation and combat fraud and false advertising.
Malaysian Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil stated after the Cabinet meeting on March 12 that Singapore's approach has provided an opportunity for Malaysia, prompting social media giant Meta and other platforms to adopt similar measures. He has instructed the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to write to Meta to discuss how to implement an advertiser real-name verification system in Malaysia.
Fahmi emphasized that this move will help curb online fraud, false advertising, and the proliferation of online gambling. He revealed that during a previous consultation meeting with representatives from Meta, the government had explicitly requested the company to take more measures, including imposing additional restrictions on advertisers' payment methods (such as credit cards) to prevent the flow of fraud funds. However, Meta was not actively cooperative at the time.
Additionally, Fahmi noted that although the Malaysian government has required social media and instant messaging platforms with 8 million or more users to apply for an operating license starting January 1, 2024, Meta, Google, and social media platform X (formerly Twitter) have yet to obtain the relevant licenses.
It is reported that Meta hopes to engage in further discussions with the Communications and Multimedia Commission before formally applying, while X believes that its user base in Malaysia has not yet reached the 8 million threshold, thus not requiring a license.
The Malaysian government, under the Communications and Multimedia Act of 1998, is strengthening regulation by requiring eligible platforms to fulfill legal obligations to ensure a safer internet environment. Fahmi emphasized that the government will continue to push social media platforms to implement stricter identity verification measures to combat cybercrime and enhance public trust in social media advertising.
