PETALING JAYA: Social media platforms have removed over 42,000 misleading artificial intelligence (AI)-related postings involving deepfake technology since 2022.
This follows requests from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), said the Communications Ministry.
In a Dewan Rakyat written reply on Aug 28 to Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias (Jelebu-BN), the ministry said between Jan 1, 2022 and Aug 15, 2025, service providers removed 1,005 deepfake investment scam postings and 41,394 false postings.
The ministry said takedown actions remain subject to each platform’s internal community guidelines and compliance with local laws.
Beyond enforcement, MCMC has strengthened public access to fact-checking resources through the Sebenarnya.my portal and its artificial intelligence-based chatbot, the Fact-check Assistant.
The reply noted that amendments to the Multimedia and Communications Act 1998 (Act 588) explicitly make it an offence to spread false content with fraudulent intent.
“In line with the amendment to Section 233(1) of Act 588, the dissemination of false content with the intent to commit fraud or deception against any person constitutes an offence punishable by a fine not exceeding RM500,000, imprisonment of a term not exceeding two years, or both, and a further fine of RM5,000 for each day the offence continues,” the ministry said.
They also reminded Parliament of the Online Safety Act 2025, which was published in May this year.
The Act was introduced to regulate harmful content and impose obligations on apps and network service providers.
In response to the number of cases, MCMC is studying the requirement for social media platforms to label content automatically generated using AI, to help users identify potentially misleading or manipulative material.
The ministry added that the government will establish an Online Safety Committee, chaired by the law minister, to advise MCMC on online safety issues, with membership comprising stakeholders, including licensed service providers.
In a separate reply to Jeli MP Zahari Kechik, the ministry said between Jan 1, 2022 and Aug 15, 2025, a total of 123,038 scam-related content and 337,715 gambling-related content were removed by telecommunication and network providers following requests from MCMC.
Over the same period, MCMC also applied for the blocking of 5,599 online gambling and scam websites at the request of police.
“This action was taken due to violations of the provisions of Act 588, other relevant laws, as well as the community guidelines of the platform providers,” the ministry said, adding that the offence will also be punishable under the Section 233(1) of Act 588.
To combat such cases, the ministry said the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) was set up as part of a “whole of government” approach, led by police in collaboration with MCMC, the Communications Ministry, Home Ministry and Bank Negara Malaysia.
The NSRC functions as a centralised response hub and has conducted 11 awareness programmes as of July 1 this year, with 19 more planned.
“Recognising that online safety is not solely the government’s responsibility, MCMC also launched the Safe Internet Campaign (Kempen Internet Selamat) on Jan 21 to raise public awareness and prevent online crimes.”