MCMC: X and Google have not yet applied for social media licence under Malaysia’s new law

Elon Musk’s X and Alphabet’s Google, which runs YouTube, have not yet applied for a social media licence under Malaysia’s new law, which took effect on Wednesday, Jan 1, according to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the country’s internet regulator.

X stated its user count in Malaysia is below the eight million mark needed for a licence, with the commission working on verifying this, Bloomberg reported.

Meanwhile, Google has raised concerns about how YouTube’s video-sharing features are classified under the new licensing rules, the commission said in a statement on Jan 1.

Malaysia is joining other Asian countries in tightening control over online platforms and holding major tech companies responsible for illegal content. Governments in places like New Delhi and Canberra are also looking for more ways to regulate social media, which has the power to influence public opinion, especially on politically sensitive issues.

The bill, approved by Malaysia’s parliament in December 2024, aims to tackle online harm such as scams, cyberbullying, and child exploitation.

WeChat, owned by Tencent, was the first to obtain a licence under the new laws, followed by TikTok from ByteDance. Telegram also applied for a licence, while Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has started the application process.

The commission said platforms that fail to get a licence could face investigation or supervision. /TISG

Read also: OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT-powered internet search to all users, challenging Google’s dominance

Featured image by Depositphotos