Malaysia Mandates Automated Takedown of Online Gambling Content

Social media platform operators in Malaysia have been granted a period to integrate internal mechanisms for the automatic removal of high-risk content, including scams and online gambling, as announced by Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil. This initiative aligns with the Online Safety Act 2025, aiming to streamline content moderation processes.

What Happened

Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil stated that social media platform operators have been given time to align their internal mechanisms to ensure the automatic removal of high-risk content, specifically scams and online gambling (Malay Mail). This requirement stems from the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA), which includes the Child Protection Code (CPC) and the Risk Mitigation Code (RMC) (Malay Mail). These codes are intended to ensure platforms comply with regulations concerning online safety, encompassing content related to scams and online gambling, according to Fahmi (Malay Mail).

Platform operators have indicated their willingness to comply but require time to adjust their internal systems for automated content removal (Malay Mail). The need for automated removal is critical due to a significant increase in takedown requests by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), particularly for online gambling and scam-related content, which has surpassed last year’s totals (Malay Mail, The Star). Each content removal request reportedly takes approximately 30 minutes of MCMC personnel’s time, placing a considerable strain on the commission’s resources and manpower (Malay Mail, NST).

Key Details

• Social media platforms are required to automate the removal of high-risk content, including scams and online gambling, under Malaysia’s Online Safety Act 2025 (Malay Mail, The Star).
• The Online Safety Act 2025 incorporates the Child Protection Code (CPC) and the Risk Mitigation Code (RMC) to govern platform compliance with online safety regulations (Malay Mail).
• The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is experiencing increased takedown requests, with each request requiring approximately 30 minutes to process (Malay Mail, NST).
• Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil confirmed that platform operators have expressed readiness to comply but need time to implement the necessary internal system adjustments (Malay Mail).
• The National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health (NCEMH) under the Ministry of Health (MOH) is urged to increase engagement with social media platforms regarding content related to suicidal behavior, a concern noted by the Cabinet (Malay Mail, Bernama).

Why It Matters

This directive signifies a regulatory move towards more proactive content moderation by social media platforms operating within Malaysian jurisdiction, particularly concerning illicit activities such as online gambling and scams. The implementation of automated content removal mechanisms is intended to enhance the efficiency of regulatory enforcement and reduce the operational burden on government bodies like the MCMC, which has faced resource constraints due to manual processing of an escalating volume of content takedown requests (Malay Mail, NST). This approach reflects a broader regulatory trend in regulated markets to address digital content deemed harmful or illegal more effectively.

The emphasis on the Online Safety Act 2025 and its associated codes, the Child Protection Code and Risk Mitigation Code, indicates a legislative framework designed to address various facets of online safety, extending beyond financial fraud to include broader social concerns (Malay Mail). The mandate for automated systems highlights a shift in responsibility, requiring platforms to integrate regulatory compliance directly into their operational infrastructure rather than solely relying on reactive measures (Malay Mail). This could set a precedent for how regulated markets interact with global digital platforms on content governance.

Originally reported by Malay Mail·Published 5 Aug 2026, 11:31