Will licensing social media platforms make us safer? -- Di...

JULY 28 -- From Aug 1, all social media and online messaging platforms with at least 8 million users in Malaysia will be required to apply for a licence from the government. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) stated that this was to ensure a "safer online ecosystem". The regulatory framework would require these platforms to comply with Malaysians laws and combat cybercrime, including scams and online fraud, cyberbullying and sexual crimes against children. Many would certainly welcome a safer online ecosystem, but will licensing social media companies actually produce this outcome in Malaysia? Data privacy A key part of a safe online ecosystem is that our personal data is kept private and safe. When we talk about online frauds and scams, many of these begin with perpetrators having access to personal data such as names, phone numbers, emails and identity ca...