KUALA LUMPUR – Outgoing British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Ailsa Terry, has expressed support for Malaysia’s initiative to require social media companies to obtain licences, a move aimed at combating misinformation and online abuse.
Speaking to Scoop, Terry emphasised the importance of such regulations, citing the UK’s similar approach in tackling harmful online content.
This comes on the back of the recent racial riots across the UK, which have been fuelled by misinformation spread on social media, including false reports that misidentified the deadly Southport attack suspect as an asylum seeker.
This erroneous information, coupled with baseless claims that the attacker was Muslim, has contributed to widespread violence, particularly targeting Muslim communities.
Terry said in a recent discussion with Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, her office had highlighted the collaborative efforts between the UK and Malaysia in regulating social media.
Terry elaborated that licensing is essential to ensure social media companies take responsibility for the content they publish.
“I’ve seen the kind of criticisms against the (Malaysian government) and I think there’s a balance to be struck. It’s clear that Malaysia, like the UK, wants to stop the hate content, the abuse of children and these awful things that happen online, and we would fully support them doing that because we are doing it ourselves.”
“To do that, you do have to have some form of licensing for these companies, so I think you do have to push these (social media) companies to step up.”
“And that’s our approach in the UK, it’s one that we have been encouraging. The government can have a heavy hand (but) the most effective way of doing this is that, instead of the government spending so many resources tracking down every post that’s negative, for (things such as) paid content, or (those deemed) sensitive for the Malaysian context, the companies should do that.”
“They (social media companies) are responsible, they are publishing this content, and in the UK the approach is to push the companies to do it and if not, they’ll be fined or face other consequences.”
Terry commended UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s swift response to the recent riots, noting that thousands of arrests have been made, with 500 individuals already sentenced to jail.
She emphasised that the unrest was caused by a “tiny mindless minority” and that there have been no further riots in recent days. Terry also highlighted the significant role of social media and misinformation in fuelling the violence, with Starmer announcing a review of social media regulations to better prosecute those spreading hate online.
Additionally, she said Starmer strongly condemned any acts of violence against mosques or other places of worship, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to addressing far-right extremism both domestically and internationally.
Addressing concerns that licensing could stifle freedom of speech, Terry remarked, “I don’t think that licensing social media companies itself is an attack on freedom of speech… The challenge is to ensure that you are not making decisions on who to licence based on positive or negative views of the government.”
Terry also highlighted the role of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) as an independent regulator, stressing its importance in maintaining press freedom.
“The most successful approach is the government can put up the framework and licences, but it’s the companies, it’s the newspapers… they should be in charge of their own content within the framework that the government sets.”
The British High Commissioner’s comments come amid international interest, as well as local criticisms, in Malaysia’s regulatory approach. Fahmi recently noted that several countries, including Singapore and the UK’s regulatory body Ofcom, have shown interest in Malaysia’s licensing process.
As Terry prepares to take on her new role as the UK Prime Minister’s Private Secretary for Foreign Affairs, she reflects on her tenure in Malaysia. This is the first instance where a British High Commissioner to Malaysia has been appointed as the Prime Minister’s Private Secretary. Terry is set to begin her new role at No. 10 Downing Street early next month.
She said since she started as the British High Commissioner to Malaysia in August 2023, her team has made accomplishments in strengthening the UK-Malaysia partnership
“It’s the first time that I’ve been an ambassador, I’ve learned a lot from that and it’s given me a lot of insight into how Malaysia and other countries see the UK. It’s been invaluable. I’ve seen how important things like British education are and how they’re valued by countries around the world like Malaysia as well,” she said.
David Wallace, the current Deputy High Commissioner, will assume the role of Chargé d’Affaires from August 29, 2024, ensuring continuity during the transition.
Malaysia’s social media licensing requirement is set to take effect on January 1, 2025, with potential penalties for non-compliance, including fines and imprisonment.
Fahmi anticipates that Malaysia’s approach will serve as a model for other countries as they seek to regulate social media platforms in line with national laws. – August 15, 2024