The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has flagged 47,412 cyberbullying posts this year, with TikTok comprising 81 per cent, as authorities review encrypted messaging services.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has identified and requested the removal of 47,412 cyberbullying-related posts from January until yesterday, with TikTok accounting for 81 per cent of the content flagged.
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said Facebook accounted for the second-largest share at 12 per cent.
“The cyberbullying content identified by MCMC since the beginning of the year was based on public complaints,” he told reporters after officiating the Pelajar Pemacu Negara – Sayangi Diri, Jauhi Dadah dan Hargai Kehidupan programme here today.
The programme involved 336 students from 122 secondary schools across Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya and was also attended by Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus.
Meanwhile, Fahmi said MCMC was examining the misuse of messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram, particularly their end-to-end encryption features, which allow private groups to operate outside public view.
The minister also expressed concern that cyberbullying could originate or spread within such groups, making them an area requiring closer scrutiny.
“I am concerned that certain communication platforms, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, use end-to-end encryption, allowing groups to be created without public knowledge.
“These are private rather than public groups, and bullying sometimes begins or becomes widespread within them. This is among the issues MCMC is examining,” he said.
Fahmi said the review also covered the misuse of messaging platforms to sell prohibited goods, including drugs.
He said the matter required examination in relation to the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA), although private messaging services were not currently covered by the legislation.
“The review of private communication platforms is ongoing, and no measures have been implemented at this stage. Although these platforms fall outside ONSA, we will continue examining their impact,” he said.
Fahmi added that concerns raised during discussions with police, alongside public complaints about the harmful effects of these platforms, underscored the need for closer scrutiny.
