In an effort to combat the rise in cybercrimes, Malaysia will mandate social media platforms with over 8 million users in the country to obtain a license, effective August 1, as announced by the government.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission stated that this licensing requirement aligns with the cabinet’s decision to ensure that social media and internet messaging services comply with Malaysian laws aimed at combating scams, cyberbullying, and sexual offenses.

The commission has stated that if social media services do not submit a license application by January 1, 2025, legal action will be taken against them.

Recently, the Malaysian Communications Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, announced that the regulatory body has communicated with social media companies to address concerns regarding cybercrime and harmful content on their platforms.

Earlier this year, Malaysia experienced a significant rise in detrimental social media content. In response, the government urged social media platforms, including Meta (Facebook’s parent company) and TikTok, to enhance their monitoring efforts.

At present, the regulatory body governing communications has the authority to identify and report content that violates local laws to social media companies. However, the decision to remove such content ultimately rests with the respective platforms.