Malaysia has ordered TikTok to immediately strengthen its regulation of harmful online content after posts deemed offensive to the country’s royal family circulated on the platform.
Image: BBC
According to international media reports, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said TikTok failed to take “sufficient and timely action” against a fake account accused of sharing defamatory material targeting Sultan Ibrahim, Malaysia’s current king.
The regulator stated that the content included AI-generated videos, manipulated images, and posts described as “grossly offensive, false, menacing and insulting in nature.”
In an official statement, the MCMC said issues involving race, religion, and the monarchy are highly sensitive in Malaysia and warned that such material could undermine public order, national harmony, and respect for constitutional institutions.
The commission added that despite repeated notifications and discussions, TikTok’s moderation efforts remained unsatisfactory, particularly in ensuring the rapid removal of harmful content and preventing its further spread.
As a result, Malaysian authorities issued a statutory demand requiring TikTok to immediately implement stronger enforcement measures and provide a formal explanation regarding its moderation failures.
TikTok had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.
Malaysia has increased oversight of social media platforms in recent years due to a rise in harmful and misleading online content. The government is also considering restrictions that would prevent children under the age of 16 from opening social media accounts.
Sultan Ibrahim became Malaysia’s king in 2024 under the country’s rotating constitutional monarchy system, where rulers from nine royal states take turns serving as monarch every five years.
