Malaysia Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA): Difference between revisions
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|Description=Malaysian law requiring platforms with 8M+ users to remove harmful content. Critics cite censorship concerns; government says it targets platforms, no | |Description=Malaysian law requiring platforms with 8M+ users to remove harmful content. Critics cite censorship concerns; government says it targets platforms, no | ||
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The '''Online Safety Act 2025''' ('''Act 866''') is Malaysian legislation that came into force on January 1, 2026, requiring social media and messaging platforms with over 8 million Malaysian users to remove harmful content and implement safety measures.<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2026-01-02 |title=Online Safety Act comes into force to protect users |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/01/02/online-safety-act-comes-into-force-to-protect-users |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | The '''Online Safety Act 2025''' ('''Act 866''') is Malaysian legislation that came into force on January 1, 2026, requiring social media and messaging platforms with over 8 million Malaysian users to remove harmful content and implement safety measures.<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2026-01-02 |title=Online Safety Act comes into force to protect users |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/01/02/online-safety-act-comes-into-force-to-protect-users |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260107212302/https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/01/02/online-safety-act-comes-into-force-to-protect-users |archive-date=7 Jan 2026|access-date=2026-02-11 |website=The Star}}</ref> The Act targets nine categories of harmful content including child sexual abuse material and financial fraud, with platforms facing fines up to RM10 million for non-compliance. <ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=ONSA-FAQ-English.pdf |url=https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf2/ONSA-FAQ-English.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260101142253/https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf2/ONSA-FAQ-English.pdf |archive-date=2026-01-01 |website=MCMC}}</ref> Civil society groups have raised concerns about potential censorship and surveillance, while the government maintains the Act targets platform accountability rather than individual users.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last= |title=Malaysia: Concerns with the Online Safety Bill 2024 |url=https://www.article19.org/resources/malaysia-online-safety-bill/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250810034315/https://www.article19.org/resources/malaysia-online-safety-bill/ |archive-date=10 Aug 2025|access-date=2026-02-11 |website=Article 19}}</ref> | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
Between January and November 2025, Malaysian police recorded RM2.7 billion in reported losses from online scams.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Bernama |date=2025-12-08 |title=Online scams cost Malaysians over RM2.7bil as of November |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/12/08/online-scams-cost-malaysians-over-rm27bil-as-of-november |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | Between January and November 2025, Malaysian police recorded RM2.7 billion in reported losses from online scams.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Bernama |date=2025-12-08 |title=Online scams cost Malaysians over RM2.7bil as of November |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/12/08/online-scams-cost-malaysians-over-rm27bil-as-of-november |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260122015417/https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/12/08/online-scams-cost-malaysians-over-rm27bil-as-of-november |archive-date=22 Jan 2026|access-date=2026-02-11 |website=The Star}}</ref> A UNICEF study identified more than 100,000 children in Malaysia at risk of online sexual exploitation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harry Beaty |first=Gloria |last2=Salehuddin |first2=Sufea |date=2024-12-02 |title=The growing threat of online child exploitation |url=https://themalaysianreserve.com/2024/12/02/the-growing-threat-of-online-child-exploitation/ |url-status=live |website=The Malaysian Reserve}}</ref><!-- < TMR resists archiving tools --> <!-- Original 404! reference in case it gives context: [404!]. https://www.unicef.org/malaysia/press-releases/unicef-malaysia-online-child-safety-report | ||
--><!-- < Original Sentence: with police operations uncovering hundreds of thousands of files containing child sexual abuse material. [citation needed - Sentence mixes two different sources together?] --> | --><!-- < Original Sentence: with police operations uncovering hundreds of thousands of files containing child sexual abuse material. [citation needed - Sentence mixes two different sources together?] --> | ||
Between January 2024 and November 2025, major platforms removed 92% of 697,061 harmful posts flagged by Malaysian authorities, but 58,104 posts remained accessible online.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raja Reza |first=Danish |date=2026-02-04 |title=What the Online Safety Act changes, and how it works |url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/02/04/what-the-online-safety-act-changes-and-how-it-works |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/OErTu |archive-date=2026-02-11 |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=Free Malaysia Today}}</ref> These ongoing challenges prompted the Malaysian government to introduce the Online Safety Act 2025 to strengthen platform accountability for harmful content and protect Malaysian internet users, particularly children.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2026-01-01 |title=Enforcement of Online Safety Act takes effect, strengthening online protections for children and families, says MCMC |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/01/01/enforcement-of-online-safety-act-takes-effect-strengthening-online-protections-for-children-and-families-says-mcmc/203923 |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | Between January 2024 and November 2025, major platforms removed 92% of 697,061 harmful posts flagged by Malaysian authorities, but 58,104 posts remained accessible online.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raja Reza |first=Danish |date=2026-02-04 |title=What the Online Safety Act changes, and how it works |url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/02/04/what-the-online-safety-act-changes-and-how-it-works |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/OErTu |archive-date=2026-02-11 |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=Free Malaysia Today}}</ref> These ongoing challenges prompted the Malaysian government to introduce the Online Safety Act 2025 to strengthen platform accountability for harmful content and protect Malaysian internet users, particularly children.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2026-01-01 |title=Enforcement of Online Safety Act takes effect, strengthening online protections for children and families, says MCMC |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/01/01/enforcement-of-online-safety-act-takes-effect-strengthening-online-protections-for-children-and-families-says-mcmc/203923 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260112004727/https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/01/01/enforcement-of-online-safety-act-takes-effect-strengthening-online-protections-for-children-and-families-says-mcmc/203923 |archive-date=12 Jan 2026|access-date=2026-02-11 |website=Malay Mail}}</ref> | ||
==Key provision== | ==Key provision== | ||
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Based on the 8 million user threshold, major platforms subject to the Act include: | Based on the 8 million user threshold, major platforms subject to the Act include: | ||
*'''Facebook''': With 31.3 million users (88.2% of population)<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Social Media Users in Malaysia - 2025 {{!}} NapoleonCat |url=https://stats.napoleoncat.com/social-media-users-in-malaysia/2025/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive. | *'''Facebook''': With 31.3 million users (88.2% of population)<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Social Media Users in Malaysia - 2025 {{!}} NapoleonCat |url=https://stats.napoleoncat.com/social-media-users-in-malaysia/2025/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260222223211/https://stats.napoleoncat.com/social-media-users-in-malaysia/2025/ |archive-date=2026-02-11 |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=NapoleonCat}}</ref> | ||
*'''Instagram''': With 16.3 million users (46% of population)<ref name=":6" /> | *'''Instagram''': With 16.3 million users (46% of population)<ref name=":6" /> | ||
*'''Facebook Messenger''': With 23.8 million users (67.1% of population)<ref name=":6" /> | *'''Facebook Messenger''': With 23.8 million users (67.1% of population)<ref name=":6" /> | ||