TLDR
- Facebook made up 78% of online gambling content flagged for removal in Malaysia this year.
- YouTube accounted for 18% of flagged gambling content, while TikTok made up 4%.
- Malaysia’s regulator requested removal of over 470,000 pieces of harmful content since January 1.
- Online gambling and scams together made up 91% of all takedown requests filed.
- The communications minister wants platforms to detect and remove harmful content without waiting for reports.
Malaysia’s communications minister has released new data showing which social media platforms carried the most online gambling content flagged for removal this year. Facebook led the list by a wide margin.
Fahmi Fadzil, the country’s communications minister, said Facebook made up 78% of online gambling content identified for removal between January 1 and August 17. That means more than 3 out of every 4 flagged posts came from the platform.
YouTube came in second place with 18% of the flagged gambling content. TikTok trailed further behind with just 4%.
The figures come from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, known as MCMC. The agency tracks harmful and illegal online content and requests its removal from platforms.
More Than 470,000 Removal Requests
MCMC requested the removal of 470,593 pieces of harmful or criminal content during the period. Online service providers accepted 93% of these requests.
That resulted in 436,661 pieces of content being taken down. Online gambling made up 64% of all removal requests filed by the regulator.
Scams accounted for another 27% of the requests. Combined, gambling and scam content made up 91% of everything MCMC asked platforms to remove.
Minister Calls For Platforms To Act On Their Own
Fahmi criticized platforms for relying too heavily on outside reports before removing harmful content. He said companies should build systems that catch rule violations without waiting for users or regulators to flag them first.
He explained that delays in removing gambling and scam material give the content more time to spread. This can raise the risk of harm to users who encounter it.
Fahmi said platforms need to take greater responsibility for what appears on their services. He also revealed that he personally reviews Facebook posts.
When he spots suspected gambling content, he forwards it to MCMC for review. The agency then decides whether the material should be removed.
The 78% figure applies only to gambling-related content, not to all harmful material reported to MCMC overall. Still, the gap between Facebook and the other two platforms stands out.
Based on the total requests and the 93% compliance rate, more than 34,000 requests had not yet led to removal by August 17. MCMC continues reviewing new reports as they come in.
Malaysia’s system depends on the regulator spotting problem content and platforms acting on the requests sent to them. Fahmi’s remarks suggest the government wants that process to move faster.
He said platforms should not need a formal report before removing content that already breaks their own rules. The minister’s comments followed the release of MCMC’s wider removal figures for the year so far, which confirmed gambling and scams as the leading categories behind the agency’s takedown requests.
