KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — Now that the social media apps you use every day – such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram – come under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) regulation from January 1, how will your lives change?

The first thing you should know is that the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) will be regulating social media companies with at least eight million users in Malaysia but that does not mean it will be regulating you.

MCMC deputy managing director (development) Eneng Faridah Iskandar said this new law, ONSA, does not impose any duties on the public or require Malaysians to do anything.

“Actually life goes on as normal, but you should expect, hopefully, a safer environment,” she told Malay Mail in a recent interview.

“So there’s no duties that the public needs to do. If at all, the Act will give them more rights, more transparency,” she said.

This is because ONSA imposes duties on social media and internet messaging platforms to carry out multiple online safety measures, including removing harmful content such as scams and child sexual abuse materials.

So these platforms and MCMC will be working together in the background to make life safer for the public.

It’s not about clamping down on freedom of expression but it’s about keeping you safe 

Eneng Faridah said ONSA would not affect social media users’ freedom of expression, as this law is targeted to fight very specific harmful content.

“It shouldn’t be construed as restricting freedom of speech, because we are very clear about the kind of harms that we want to combat and mitigate. 

“And nobody would consider these harms to be an expression of free speech,” she said, also pointing out that ONSA is intended for platforms and does not list any offences against users.

She said that no one would think that the nine harmful content categories – listed in ONSA – are acceptable or not harmful.

The nine harmful content categories include threatening, abusive, insulting words that may cause harassment, distress, fear or alarm; as well as content that may promote ill-will or hostile feelings among the public (such as hate speech).

While social media firms are required under ONSA to carry out safety measures to reduce the risk of its users being exposed to harmful content, the same law also said these measures shall not unreasonably or disproportionately limit users’ expression.

ONSA also recognises legitimate use of social media, which means the content you want to share online would not be affected if it is for educational purposes.

For example, it would not be harmful content under ONSA, if you are raising awareness on scams or about drug abuse; or your content shows private parts for education, scientific or medical purposes.

Coming soon: Better and stronger protection for all, especially children 

Does social media feel like a “scary” place for you? Are you, as a parent, thinking of telling your children not to use social media or internet messaging services at all?

Since children are curious by nature and may still use social media, here’s some online safety measures that parents can use to help keep them safe (according to MCMC’s list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on ONSA):

  • Safety controls to manage who can contact your children;
  • Settings to control the type of content your children can access or that can be recommended to them;
  • Clear guidelines on safe use;
  • Mechanisms to report harmful content.

There may also be safer default settings and stronger privacy protections for children using social media.

From January 1, 2026, companies for platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube come under the Online Safety Act 2025.  — AFP pic
From January 1, 2026, companies for platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube come under the Online Safety Act 2025.  — AFP pic

MCMC wants to encourage Malaysians to continue using social media in a positive way  

MCMC recognises the benefits of social media and internet messaging services, and wants to encourage the public to continue to use these platforms and engage with each other.

Eneng Faridah said a lot of civil society thrives on these platforms which connect people and enable communication, as they can use the platforms to get support and to mobilise a large number of volunteers for causes such as flood relief and soup kitchens.

“So these platforms play an important role in terms of our social consciousness as Malaysians,” she said.

She said these social media platforms are also important in terms of economic value, as it is an income source for Malaysians who are influencers or sell things online, and a thriving e-commerce environment would also benefit other parts of the economy such as courier services.

Given the contribution of these platforms to Malaysians’ daily lives and their reach into everyone’s personal devices, she said there is a need to ensure users feel safe, and are protected from harms such as scams.

“We recognise that platforms play a big role in Malaysians’ social, economic and even political discourse, and we want to encourage a healthy use and a positive use of these platforms.

“And actually subjecting them to certain duties and obligations will ensure that platforms are a safer place for all Malaysians to interact healthily and positively – that’s the intent,” she said.