Malaysia’s internet regulator has ordered TikTok to take action against what it described as “offensive and defamatory” content involving the country’s monarchy, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said on Thursday that it had instructed the video-sharing platform to take “immediate remedial measures” in response to an account allegedly linked to King Sultan Ibrahim.

The MCMC said its directive requires the company to strengthen its content moderation systems and provide a “formal explanation” for failing to block material it described as “grossly offensive, false, menacing and insulting,” including AI-generated videos and manipulated images.

The regulator said it takes a “serious view” of online platforms being used to spread false or “detrimental to public order” content, particularly when it involves the monarchy.

It added that the order was issued after TikTok’s response to earlier warnings was deemed “unsatisfactory.”

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The MCMC said it will continue to take “firm and proportionate action” where necessary to ensure that digital platforms operating in Malaysia uphold their responsibilities in maintaining a safe, secure, and respectful online environment.

Malaysia, a constitutional monarchy, criminalises speech considered to promote “hatred or contempt” against the royal family under a sedition law dating back to 1948.

The move against TikTok is part of broader efforts by Malaysian authorities to regulate social media platforms.

In January, the MCMC briefly restricted access to the AI assistant Grok amid concerns over its use in generating sexually explicit images of people without consent.

The government is also preparing to implement legislation passed last year that would ban social media use for users under 16, following similar steps taken in countries including Australia, Indonesia, and France.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev