Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching at the 19th Asia Media Summit and Associated Meetings with theme 'Media: The New Odyssey' at Brickfields Asia College (BAC). The event also was attended by Papua New Guinea's Information, Communications, and Technology Minister, Timothy Masiu; Cambodia's Information Minister, Neth Pheaktra, and the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development secretariat director and chief executive officer, Philomena Gnanapragasam. - Bernama
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) removed 32,676 fraud and scam content between January and Aug 15, an increase of 6,297 from last year.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said Malaysia lost RM3.18bil to online scams between 2021 and April 2024, but she believed the actual figure may be much higher.
She also said the rising number of cases and associated losses demonstrated the rising prevalence of cybercrime at an alarming rate despite continued efforts and engagement with social media platform providers.
Given that social media platforms are becoming the primary domain for artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content and viable alternatives are becoming scarce, Teo said it is time to reconsider classifying them as public utilities.
“This means platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok could be treated as essential services similar to water, electricity or Internet providers.
“This reclassification would subject these platforms to government regulation, ensuring better protection of user rights and the mitigation of harmful content.
“Similar to the oversight of traditional utilities, a licensing framework for social media and instant messaging platforms could help address issues like misinformation, privacy breaches and the spread of harmful material,” she said.
Teo made this remark in her keynote address at the 19th Asia Media Summit and Associated Meetings themed “Media: The New Odyssey” at Brickfields Asia College here yesterday, Bernama reported.
The event was also attended by Papua New Guinea’s Information, Communications and Technology Minister Timothy Masiu, Cambodia’s Information Minister Neth Pheaktra and Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development secretariat director and chief executive officer Philomena Gnanapragasam.
Teo said in today’s rapidly changing digital landscape, media practitioners must navigate a complex terrain shaped by AI.
However, while the technology has enormous potential for positive societal change, it also carries significant risks, particularly in the realm of misinformation and disinformation.
If left unchecked, she said these threats could fuel geopolitical tensions, societal polarisation and individual harm, including scams and privacy invasions facilitated by deepfake technology and cyberbullying.
She cited a few prominent Malaysians, including Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Khairul Aming, as having been exploited in scam operations that used these celebrities’ voices and images to impersonate them and trick victims into handing over money or personal information.
Thus, as AI technology advances at a breakneck pace, effective management and regulation are required to ensure that the benefits outweigh the potential drawbacks, she added.
Regarding the summit, Teo hoped it would serve as a platform to bridge the digital divide and promote inclusivity for positive change among media, policymakers and stakeholders.
She said the Communications Ministry was also seeking support from the summit for the Malaysian Media Council Bill, which they intended to table in Parliament soon.
Once passed, the Media Council’s key roles will include ensuring compliance with set standards, particularly in light of the rapid dissemination of information in the digital age, which can have far-reaching consequences.
Attended by top-ranking broadcasters, decision-makers, media professionals, regulators, scholars and stakeholders from within and outside the region, the Asia Media Summit provides a platform for intergovernmental dialogues to uplift the benchmarks of the regional media industry.
