Kuala lumpur: Media and communication experts have hailed Malaysia's decision to classify major social media and messaging platforms, with eight million or more users, as Application Service Provider Class licensees from Jan 1, 2026. They say that this move is a critical step toward strengthening platform accountability and enhancing user protection, particularly for children and families.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, political and social media analyst at the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam, Prof Dr Sara Chinnasamy, stated that this classification places a clear legal responsibility on major digital platforms to comply with Malaysia's regulatory framework, while also reinforcing user safeguards. She highlighted that despite significant annual investments in online safety initiatives by governments, platforms, and NGOs, many programmes lack systematic evaluation, resulting in limited evidence of their actual effectiveness in driving meaningful behavioural change.
Sara emphasized the importance of educating parents about potential risks, promoting responsible online behaviour, and empowering them to make informed choices about privacy settings. She also indicated that platform providers have a crucial role in implementing safety features, monitoring harmful content, and offering clear reporting mechanisms. Sara added that structured evaluation frameworks must support these safety campaigns to measure their actual impact, with evaluation timelines varying depending on the theory of change and indicators used.
Meanwhile, Dr Mohd Azul Mohamad Salleh, a senior lecturer at the Media and Communication Research Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, explained that the regulatory move aligns with international practices. He cited Australia's leading framework for child online protection as a benchmark, noting that Australia will enforce a comprehensive social media ban for children under 16 starting December 2025.
He acknowledged concerns about the possibility of global platforms ceasing operations but underscored the necessity of proactive regulation to mitigate wider societal risks. Dr Mohd Azul mentioned that non-compliance and subsequent blocking of platforms could severely impact the economy, education, and small businesses relying on social media. He stressed that such measures are essential to hold platform operators accountable for user safety and data privacy, thereby preventing cybercrimes like online fraud.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) recently announced that internet messaging and social media service providers with eight million or more users will be deemed registered as ASP Class licensees effective Jan 1, 2026. This initiative will be implemented through a dispensation of registration formalities under Section 46A of the Communications and Multimedia (Amendment) Act 2025, aligning it with the licensing framework to strengthen compliance and accountability.
Known as the Deeming Provision, this mechanism applies to service providers including WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. It aims to ensure that these large-scale platforms operate in a more consistent and effective manner within Malaysia's legal and regulatory framework.