Malaysia, Singapore tighten oversight of social networks to prevent scams

Malaysia and Singapore are broadening their oversight of some of the most popular social media, messaging platforms and market sites in order to curb surges in online scams and harm against minors.

Southeast Asian countries have some of the world's most engaged social media users, but analysts say the wider adoption of online services could lead to an increase in online scams.

Malaysia's new regulation, scheduled to be implemented by the end of the year, will require online platforms, including social media sites like Facebook, X and TikTok and messaging services like WhatsApp, to register for a licence and renew it every year. Failure to do so will make the platform illegal, incurring a penalty of up to RM500,000 ($107,000).

According to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the primary objective of the regulatory framework is to ensure a safe and secure online ecosystem for all Malaysians, particularly children.

The MCMC's licensing will be imposed on platforms used by more than 25% of the country's population, or 8 million people. As part of the new framework, a mechanism for hitting a "kill switch" will be introduced to remove content deemed egregious.

Malaysian police reported that RM 2.5 billion was lost to online scams in 2022. The MCMC said that more than 70% of the government's requests to take down content were related to online scams and gambling.

Meanwhile in Singapore, malicious cyber activities are also on the rise. The total number of scams hit a record 46,563 cases in 2023, up 46.8% from 2022, with losses totalling SGD 651.8 million ($486 million), according to the Singapore Police Force. E-commerce scams were among the top methods, it added.

In June, Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs issued codes of practice that require Meta's Facebook and Carousell, a local second-hand marketplace, to verify the identity of sellers they deem risky. Last year, these two services accounted for more than 70% of all e-commerce scams.

Under the code, such users must be verified against government-issued records if they advertise or post about selling goods and services, or intend to do so. If the scams do not drop significantly by the end of the year, the MHA will require verification of all sellers.

The codes are part of the provisions under the Online Criminal Harms Act, passed by the Singaporean parliament last year. By the end of the year, social media sites and messaging services like Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, WeChat and WhatsApp must also implement systems and measures to detect scams and malicious activities, and then submit annual reports to authorities.