Fahmi: Errant social media providers to face compounds once licensing rules are in force

The Star

Social media and Internet messaging platform providers will be penalised if they fail to obtain social media licensing once it is enforced from Jan 1, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Nov 19).  Read more at  https://tinyurl.com/mrnudkyr  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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00:00With your explanation, I would like to make sure.

00:04Has the government made an impact with this new regulation

00:09to start lessons for small businesses, local entrepreneurs and individuals

00:15that depend on this platform to generate new income

00:19or carry out their economic activities?

00:21Because today, social media is part of the young people,

00:24it depends on social media.

00:26Does the government also have a plan or a detailed study

00:30on how this regulation will balance between the need to protect cyber security

00:35and the digital freedom of the Malaysian people,

00:37especially when considering the potential of data leakage

00:40or the use of personal data by companies,

00:44social media that are not controlled?

00:46Thank you, Mr. Bumad.

00:47Please, Mr. Minister.

00:48Thank you, Mr. Bumad. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

00:52This lesson will not apply to companies or individuals.

00:59It will only apply to platform providers,

01:02meaning only to Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram,

01:09not to users in these platforms.

01:12This is what I need to explain.

01:15But still, what is the effect if platforms fail to be licensed

01:22by January 1, 2025?

01:24Is the government eager to close these platforms?

01:28So, at this time, the government is not eager to close.

01:32And based on the existing powers and rights,

01:36there are actions that can be taken,

01:39including compounding up to RM250,000

01:42or bringing a case to court

01:46where the fine can be up to RM500,000

01:49or up to five years in prison.

01:52Or when you are detained for operating without a license every day,

01:57you can be fined RM1,000.

01:59This is only applicable to the platforms I mentioned,

02:02not to users.

02:04But what Mr. Bumad raised about data security,

02:09this is definitely a very worrying issue.

02:12This is why we must always be vigilant

02:18and be careful about the content we upload

02:21on social media platforms,

02:23including personal information,

02:26such as our home, our family,

02:29personal matters.

02:33Because this data is held by companies.

02:36Most of them are not in our country.

02:40Even though they have a data center in the country,

02:45it is still owned by the company.

02:50And this is among the government's overall calculations.

02:54Not only the Malaysian government,

02:56but also many other governments

02:59where they need to balance

03:02between innovation and, more importantly,

03:06data security for their users.

03:10I'll give you the simplest example.

03:12Let's say we use an app

03:14and the app recognizes that we like something.

03:18And if someone else knows,

03:22I can call it a secret source,

03:25through an algorithm,

03:28that an individual likes to buy or like something,

03:32then this information can be manipulated

03:36by companies that own the data.

03:40Just imagine how it affects the democracy of our country,

03:44how it affects the government.

03:46So all these things need to be considered.

03:49I hope that you, Mr. Bumad,

03:52in your interaction with the people in your respective areas,

03:58can give an advice

04:05so that we are always careful

04:07with the information we upload on social media.

04:10Thank you, Mr. Bumad.

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