Malaysia’s Communication Minister issues stern warning to social media giants Meta and TikTok, threatening harsh action if they continue to suppress content supporting the Palestinian cause.
Amid rising concerns over social media censorship, Malaysia’s Communication Minister Fahmi Fadzil has warned Meta and TikTok of decisive action should they persist in banning pro-Palestinian content. The warning came in response to multiple calls from various parties urging the Malaysian government to address the issue, according to a report by Reuters.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Minister Fadzil stated that the platforms are accused of suppressing content that advocates for Palestinians. “If this issue is not addressed, I will not hesitate to take an extremely firm stand against these platforms,” he said.
Reuters also quoted Fahmi Fadzil as saying that many parties have urged the government to implement stringent measures against these social platforms. While the minister did not elaborate on who these parties were, the call for action has garnered widespread attention.
In defense, Meta, the parent company overseeing Facebook and Instagram among others, categorically denied intentionally suppressing voices. A spokesperson for Meta noted that there is “no truth” to the allegations. “Our policies are designed to keep our users safe on our apps while allowing everyone the capacity to express themselves,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to Reuters.
TikTok also refuted the Malaysian government’s accusations, stating they are “baseless.” In an email correspondence with Reuters, a TikTok spokesperson elaborated that the platform applies community guidelines fairly to all content and is “committed to consistently enforcing its policies to protect the community.”
Both Meta and TikTok employ a blend of automated detection and human review to moderate published content. Numerous users and celebrities, especially in recent times, have complained about the suppression of content supporting the Palestinian cause, criticizing the Israeli war on Gaza, or advocating for the protection of children and civilians in conflict.
The report also highlighted that Meta, which also owns WhatsApp, has taken additional steps such as tightening rules on posts that could potentially be considered a “violation” of its guidelines, aiming to prevent unintentional showcasing in recommended content feeds.
As a significant update, Meta clarified that some of the removed posts perceived as punishing pro-Palestinian support were, in fact, the result of technical errors unrelated to the subject matter. TikTok, on the other hand, revealed that it had removed more than 775,000 video clips and 14,000 live streams since the beginning of the attacks on Gaza on October 7th.
Fahmi Fadzil stated that Malaysians have the right to express themselves regarding the Palestinian issue and announced that he would be meeting with TikTok representatives next week to discuss the matter further.
