Meta pushes back against Malaysia’s social media licensing

The tech giant warns that restrictive measures may prove counterproductive.

Malaysia.- Meta has voiced strong opposition to Malaysia’s social media licensing framework, which the government says is designed to curb online scams, illegal gambling and other harmful digital activities. The policy, implemented in January, requires all social media and messaging platforms with over eight million local users to obtain a licence from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil has repeatedly criticised Meta for failing to secure a licence and for its “insufficient cooperation” in combating cybercrime. Earlier this year, he said that of more than 168,000 takedown requests submitted to Facebook, around 120,000 were related to online gambling, and not all were acted upon. The minister has warned that if Meta’s compliance does not improve, further action may be considered.

While other major platforms such as TikTok, WeChat, and Telegram have obtained licences, Meta has continued to challenge the framework, arguing that its existing systems target scams and harmful content. “We’ve been improving our internal safety protocols long before this regime was enacted,” said Rafael Frankel, Meta’s director of public policy for Southeast Asia. “We don’t need any licence to continue that work.”

Frankel warned that overly prescriptive regulations could hinder effective collaboration. “There are all sorts of ways that sophisticated, well-funded criminals can bypass ID checks,” he noted, urging instead for cooperative strategies between governments, civil society, and tech firms.

Malaysia’s government has made combating digital crime a national priority. The MCMC said it removed more than 321,000 gambling-related posts between January 2022 and mid-2025, alongside hundreds of thousands of pieces of fraudulent or obscene content.

As Malaysia considers even stricter measures, including a possible smartphone ban for minors, Meta has cautioned that such actions could drive young users toward less regulated digital environments. “If you just focus on banning social media, you’re going to push teens into less safe spaces,” Frankel warned.

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See also: Malaysian government urges Meta to remove illegal online gambling content

The tech giant warns that restrictive measures may prove counterproductive. Malaysia.- Meta has voiced strong opposition to Malaysia’s social media licensing framework, which the government says is designed to curb…