KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — Approximately 43,618 scam-related content was removed by social media platforms as of the first quarter of this year, said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.
The removals were carried out at the request of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), with platform providers complying with the applications.
She said the number of scam-related pieces of content taken down has risen sharply each year, with 6,297 cases recorded in 2023, 63,652 in 2024, and 98,503 cases in 2025.
“This trend is worrying. It is crucial for all parties, including the media, to work together to educate the public on digital literacy,” Teo said after officiating the 21st General Assembly of the ASEAN Journalists Federation today.
She added that not all requests submitted by MCMC were acted upon by platform providers. Since 2023, 255,931 takedown requests have been issued, of which 212,070 have been complied with.
Meanwhile, in her speech when officiating the programme, Teo emphasised that the threats of scams, fake news, and deepfakes are no longer local concerns, but a growing global challenge affecting countries across regions.
She reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening regional cooperation to combat misinformation, including by establishing clearer standards for the use of artificial intelligence in media content.
