On Monday, August 5, our Technology Practice Group partners Ong Johnson and Lo Khai Yi were invited by Malaysia’s No.1 Business Radio Station, BFM 89.9, to shed light on Regulatory Framework for Internet Messaging and Social Media Service Providers that’s set to take effect on January 1, 2025.

On 1 August 2024, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) published the regulatory framework which would require compliance from all internet messaging and social media service providers with at least 8 million users, the service providers must apply for an ASP (C) License under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

This would mean key platforms like Meta, Instagram, Telegram Messenger, TikTok, Weixin/WeChat, WhatsApp, X, and YouTube must comply if they meet the criteria.

If you’ve missed out on the live session on Monday, listen to our interview here on BFM’s podcast as we discussed the good, the bad, and the regulatory complications of this new framework, covering wide-ranging issues such as the “kill switch,” freedom of speech, licensing requirements, and what even amounts to internet messaging or social media services.