Malaysia Approves Licenses for WeChat and TikTok Under New Law

On Wednesday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced that the tech companies ByteDance (TikTok) and WeChat have secured their licenses to operate in Malaysia.

In a statement, MCMC announced that four prominent online messaging and social media platforms have applied for a license to operate in Malaysia, demonstrating their commitment to regulatory compliance.

In accordance with the announcement, Tencent (WeChat) is the pioneering service provider to receive the applications service provider class (ASP(C)) license, which is necessary for internet messaging and social media service providers.

Meanwhile, Telegram is anticipated to receive its license soon since it is in the last phases of the licensing procedure.

Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are all under the supervision of Meta, which is expected to finish the process of getting licenses to run their services in the country soon.

Unlicensed Platforms

Google (owner of YouTube) and X (formerly Twitter) have not yet submitted their applications to MCMC.

X claims that the number of users in Malaysia is still below the eight million mark.

At the moment, MCMC is looking into X’s claims about the user base and will keep holding engagement sessions to see where X stands.

Concerns with YouTube’s Categorization

Google faced criticism over YouTube’s video-sharing capabilities and how it was categorized in the licensing system.

After considering the concerns, MCMC will make sure that YouTube and any other platform providers who meet the license requirements are held accountable for their responsibilities and follow the current licensing structure.

Platform providers who have not yet obtained the necessary licenses will have their status reviewed by MCMC, who will then decide what to do in accordance with the Communications and Multimedia Act of 1998.

Platform providers can face regulatory actions and investigations if they are shown to be in breach of license requirements.

Online safety, user protection (especially for minors and vulnerable groups), and regulatory control of service providers in Malaysia are all priorities for the government, and the licensing requirements reflect that.

“MCMC applauds the efforts of service providers who have taken proactive steps toward compliance and emphasizes the importance of adhering to the licensing requirements,

“These efforts are pivotal in creating a safe and secure online environment for all Malaysians,” MCMC said.