In the initial half of 2023, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, and China’s TikTok imposed unprecedented restrictions on social media posts and accounts in Malaysia, as revealed by data released by the platforms.
This surge in content removal aligns with a notable increase in government requests to take down online material.
The administration of Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which assumed power in November 2022, has been accused of deviating from its commitment to safeguard freedom of speech.
Despite official assurances that the government is not suppressing dissent online, it emphasizes the need to regulate posts deemed provocative concerning race, religion, and royalty.
Between January and June 2023, Meta restricted approximately 3,100 pages and posts on its Facebook and Instagram platforms within Malaysia, citing alleged violations of local laws, according to Meta’s Transparency Report released this month.
This figure represents a sixfold increase compared to the preceding six-month period, marking the highest count since Meta began reporting content restrictions in Malaysia in 2017.
Meta disclosed that, from July 2022 to June 2023, it limited access to over 3,500 items in response to reports from Malaysia’s communications regulator and other government entities.
The flagged content encompassed criticism of the government, along with alleged infringements related to illegal gambling, hate speech, divisive content based on race or religion, bullying, and financial scams.
Similarly, TikTok reported receiving 340 requests from the Malaysian government to remove or restrict content between January and June 2023, affecting 890 posts and accounts.
TikTok complied with 815 of these requests, citing violations of local laws or the platform’s community guidelines. This figure represents a threefold increase compared to the second half of 2022, marking the highest removal count since TikTok began reporting requests from Malaysia in 2019.
Notably, Malaysia surpassed other Southeast Asian governments in the number of requests to restrict content on TikTok, as highlighted in the data.
While Meta did not disclose the total number of government requests for content restrictions, TikTok’s increased compliance suggests a growing trend in regulatory scrutiny.
The government, in response to the data, has not issued a statement.
However, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil denied allegations that the communications regulator acted on his requests to remove critical posts from social media. Fahmi emphasized that the regulator often acted in response to complaints from ordinary users.
In October, Fahmi criticized TikTok for not doing enough to curb defamatory or misleading content, accusing the platform of non-compliance with local laws. TikTok responded by pledging proactive measures to address the concerns raised.
The government had also threatened legal action against Meta for its failure to address “undesirable” content but later abandoned the plan after discussions with the company.
Article 19, a free speech advocacy group, expressed concerns over the removal of posts critical of the government.
Nalini Elumalai, the senior Malaysia program officer at Article 19, warned that the increased requests to restrict content could potentially stifle legitimate free speech and expression.
She emphasized that restricting expression solely for casting a critical view on social issues, public figures, or government institutions is never acceptable.
