Malaysia Licences WeChat, TikTok Under New Cybercrime Law

Malaysia has granted operating licences to Tencent’s WeChat and ByteDance’s TikTok under a new social media law aimed at combating cybercrime.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced that platforms with over 8 million users in Malaysia must obtain a licence or face legal action.

Telegram is in the final stages of obtaining its licence, while Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, have started the licensing process.

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X (formerly Twitter) has not applied, claiming it has fewer than 8 million local users; the MCMC is reviewing this claim. Alphabet’s YouTube has also not applied, citing concerns about how its video-sharing features are classified under the new law.

Non-compliance with the licensing requirements could result in investigations and regulatory actions. The law addresses various online harms, including gambling, scams, child pornography, grooming, cyberbullying, and content related to race, religion, and royalty.

Malaysia reported a significant increase in harmful social media content in early 2024.