Malaysia: Adopted Communications and Multimedia (Licensing) (Exemption) (Amendment) Order 2024 (P.U. (A) 206/2024)

On 1 August 2024, the Minister of Communications adopted the Communications and Multimedia (Licensing) (Exemption) (Amendment) Order 2024. In particular, the regulation establishes exemptions from the obligation to obtain a class license under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) in order to operate within the country. Specifically, only social media and internet messaging service providers with more than 8 million users in Malaysia will be required to obtain a licence. Social media services are defined as applications that use the Internet to enable two or more users to create, upload, share, disseminate, or modify content. Similarly, Internet messaging services are applications that use the Internet to allow a user to communicate messages with another user. The regulation will enter into force on 1 January 2025. Furthermore, the providers are required to comply with the Communications and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) ethical and conduct requirements, which include measures concerning user data protection, age verification, online harm mitigation, and content moderation.