KOTA TINGGI: The upcoming Online Safety Bill, slated for tabling this October, will be comprehensive, addressing a wide range of potential cybercrimes, including those targeting children.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, expressed concern that the use of children's images in videos without parental consent may expose them to exploitation through artificial intelligence (AI), potentially making them targets for paedophiles.
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Commenting on an incident involving a bus driver who shared a video of children he was transporting via his social media account, which attracted hundreds of thousands of views, the Pengerang MP highlighted how seemingly innocent actions can lead to harmful consequences.
"This is a prime example. We fear that with AI, images can be manipulated and edited.
"As a content creator, the person may think using children's images will attract viewers, but they could include individuals with ill intentions who could use AI to create deepfakes.
"What Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said about filing a police report is absolutely correct," she added.
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"On behalf of the Legal Affairs Division, I believe the Act must be expedited to provide a framework for concerned families to lodge reports and request the removal of images," she told reporters after the Felda Sungai Mas Rumah Mesra Rakyat key presentation ceremony in Kota Tinggi on Friday (Sept 6).
She also commended and thanked Internet users who provided information, comments, and feedback on the incident, enabling the authorities to take appropriate action.
Earlier, Johor police chief Comm M. Kumar reported that a bus driver had been arrested in Simpang Ringgam this morning for uploading a video of the children he was transporting.
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A team from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Kluang District police headquarters detained the 24-year-old local man at 2.57am and seized a mobile phone for investigation under Section 15(a)(iii) of the Sexual Offenses Against Children Act 2017 and Section 15(2) of the Child Act 2001.
On Thursday (Sept 5), a user of the X (formerly known as Twitter) platform shared a screenshot of the TikTok post by the school bus driver who referred to a female pupil as his "crush" and "favourite".
Bernama's observations found the TikTok account owner, who goes by the name "Abang Bas", has over 600,000 followers and regularly uploads videos taken while transporting students, with their faces clearly visible.
Subsequently, Nancy instructed officers from the Children's Development Department to lodge a police report against the bus driver.
She stated that such behaviour was unacceptable and contributes to the normalisation of sharing images and videos of children without parental consent, which violates the rights and privacy of children under the Child Act 2001. – Bernama
