Most social media platforms yet to be licensed under Malaysia's new rules

So far, only ByteDance and Tencent licensed under framework to curb harmful content

- Shannon Teoh

Just two of at least eight main social media and messaging platforms have obtained licences under Malaysia's controversial new regulatory framework, which is aimed at curbing harmful content and kicked in on Jan 1. And they do not include the biggest tech giants like Meta and Google, whose online tools are among the most widely used in the country.

Strict new rules under the new licensing regime - which allow for the arrests without warrants of representatives from these licensed platforms to compel them to divulge private data and facilitate surveillance on their networks - had been met with resistance from civil society and lawmakers, as well as these operators, sources involved with the licensing framework told The Straits Times.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said the two that received Applications Service Provider Class licences are Chinese tech firms ByteDance, which runs short-video platform TikTok, and Tencent, owner of messaging application WeChat.

It added that Meta, whose platforms include social media-sharing apps like Facebook, Instagram and messaging service WhatsApp, has "initiated the process of obtaining their licences to operate its platforms in the country".