Kuala Lumpur: There is no record showing that any social media platform, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Xiaohongshu, has been convicted or punished by a civil or criminal court in Malaysia for publishing advertisements related to scams or fraud, said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.
She explained that this is because the content uploaded on those platforms is typically published by third parties (users), and legal action depends on the role and liability of the platform in enabling or facilitating the dissemination of such content.
“However, the Ministry of Communications takes the misuse of digital platforms for online fraud very seriously. Through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), continuous efforts are being made.
“This includes establishing technical collaborations with social media service providers such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to take down scam-related content, investment fraud, online gambling, and the sale of unregistered products,” she said during a Q&A session in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Further elaborating, she said that as of 15 July 2025, MCMC had taken takedown actions against 46,817 fraudulent content items.
In 2022, social media service providers took down 242 scam-related content items at MCMC’s request. This number increased to 6,297 in 2023 and 63,652 in 2024.
“These actions are taken based on complaints received and community guidelines set by each platform, in line with local laws,” she said.
She was responding to a question from Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, who asked the Communications Minister whether social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Xiaohongshu -which publish advertisements for various scams and fraudulent investment schemes are being held accountable for the losses suffered by scam victims, and whether any such platforms have been convicted or punished by civil or criminal courts for these ads.
Teo added that, as part of the whole-of-government approach to combating online fraud, the government has established the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC), a joint initiative involving the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Bank Negara Malaysia, and MCMC.
“NSRC, which is currently led by PDRM, not only functions as a one-stop action center but also actively runs public awareness programs and national campaigns related to fraud and digital crimes.
“As of July 1, 2025, 11 programs have been conducted, with 19 more planned for this year, including partnerships with media and digital platforms. One key initiative is the ‘Semak Mule’ Portal by PDRM, which allows the public to verify suspicious bank account or phone number details,” she said.
Online safety code
In response to Chong’s supplementary question, Teo stated that MCMC is in the process of drafting an online safety code as a guideline for platform operators and stakeholders when publishing advertisements on social media, in line with the amended Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588), which was gazetted on 22 May.
“We will refer to other countries such as Singapore, where advertisers are required to verify their identities before placing ads on social media platforms.
“This is one of the legal models we are studying, and if proven effective, it will be incorporated into the code currently being developed by MCMC,” she said.
Chong had asked whether the government is willing to amend existing laws to hold social media operators liable for publishing scam ads on their platforms, especially in cases where victims suffer financial losses.
Additionally, Teo revealed that MCMC received about 121 takedown requests involving impersonation of high-profile individuals in Malaysia, including royalty, ministers, and political leaders.
She also shared that she had recently been a victim of such impersonation through a fraudulent ad on Facebook, implying that social media platforms are becoming accomplices in scam activities by allowing such ads to be published.
