Telegram, TikTok and WeChat now hold MY social media license

Telegram, TikTok and WeChat have been licensed under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, as of end August, making them the first few messaging services and social platforms to hold the social media licenses. 

Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil was quoted by NST as saying, that it is currently still in discussions with Meta, the operator of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as Google which runs YouTube, to finalise enforcement under the licensing framework for the social platforms. He explained that discussions would take time as it covers complex technical, operational and legal compliance aspects.

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Fahmi also added that X, on the other hand, still claims that it does not meet the threshold of having eight million users in Malaysia, which is a requirement for the application service provider (ASP) class license. He had said in a written reply to the upper house of Parliament, that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is running a study to determine the number of users currently on X.

The new social media license, which came into effect in January, drew in resistance from the likes of Meta and TikTok in the beginning, as they cited a lack of clarity over the new regulations. Despite initial resistance from global tech giants, the Malaysian government had signalled a clear intent to enforce the licensing framework.

Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil has repeatedly stressed that the goal of the social media license is to tackle crimes that have migrated online, such as scams, cyberbullying, and sexual offences against children, rather than to curtail freedom of expression.

Fahmi also emphasised that while companies such as Meta and TikTok are large players, Malaysian law takes precedence, and compliance is mandatory for those wishing to operate in the country. Meta stated at the time that it already prioritises online safety and collaborates with authorities to remove harmful content, but has concerns over certain obligations under the new licensing framework.

Meanwhile, TikTok previously voiced the importance of a collaborative approach, cautioning against a top-down content moderation system that could impinge on users’ rights to freedom of speech and expression. Both platforms, however, have expressed willingness to engage with the MCMC to address these issues.

The licensing process itself has been described as relatively straightforward for qualifying social media platforms, with Fahmi noting that applications under the class license can be processed in three to five working days. The ministry reportedly received formal submissions from major platforms since 2024, following extensive engagement sessions with platform providers, academics, and NGOs to develop a code of conduct guideline.

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