Fahmi Urges Social Media Giants to Join Content Forum to Curb Online Harms

PETALING JAYA – Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has called on all major social media platforms to join the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (Content Forum), emphasising their responsibility in addressing harmful content and its societal impact.

Speaking at the launch of the Suicide Content Guidelines on June 3, Fahmi said platforms like Facebook (Meta) and X (formerly Twitter) must be held accountable, especially as they profit significantly from Malaysian ad revenues. “They cannot profit from our loss,” he stated, pointing to the urgent need for platforms to contribute to local efforts in managing online harms such as suicide-related content and cyberbullying.

Content Forum

The Content Forum is a self-regulatory industry body under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). It develops and enforces content-related guidelines, including the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Content Code, to ensure ethical standards across traditional and digital media. Participation is currently voluntary, and TikTok is the only major social media platform that has joined.

Fahmi stressed that platforms must not “wash their hands off” responsibility for content shared on their sites, adding that active participation in the Content Forum would allow these tech companies to help shape best practices and codes of conduct suitable for the Malaysian context.

He also expressed hope that the soon-to-be-established Malaysian Media Council would further support responsible media practices. The new Suicide Content Guidelines aim to create a consistent, sensitive approach to covering suicide-related issues across all media platforms.

Business News