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TikTok criticised for slow response to fake news requests

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Malaysia increases scrutiny on social media platforms

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Meta also to be summoned over spread of immoral content

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Malaysian authorities

have summoned TikTok's top management over the social media

company's alleged delays in tackling fake news on its platform,

state news agency Bernama reported on Tuesday, citing Malaysia's

communications minister.

Minister Fahmi Fadzil said TikTok, owned by China's

ByteDance, had been too slow in responding to requests for

assistance in police investigations, prompting him to ask the

firm's chief executive for help, Bernama reported.

Fahmi cited a recent case where a man had falsely claimed on

TikTok to be a pathologist involved in an investigation into the

high-profile death of a Malaysian teenager, the report said.

"TikTok was very slow in providing information... to the

point that I had to call TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to inform him,

'this is a crime that's being committed and your organisation is

very slow'," Fahmi was quoted as saying.

"We cannot allow such an attitude."

TikTok will be summoned to Malaysian police headquarters on

Thursday, with the police chief and attorney-general expected to

be in attendance, Fahmi said, according to Bernama.

Malaysia has stepped up scrutiny of social media companies in

recent years, after reporting a sharp rise in harmful online

content on their platforms.

Malaysian authorities deem online gambling, scams, child

pornography and grooming, cyberbullying and content related to

race, religion and royalty as harmful.

Fahmi said Meta, the parent company of social media and

messaging platforms Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, will also

be summoned over the spread of "immoral" content, including

paedophilia-related imagery, Bernama reported.

TikTok and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for

comment.

"We see these platforms are not taking the matter seriously,

so the dialogue process will continue, and we will stress that

Malaysian law applies to them and they must comply. We will

summon every platform," he said, according to Bernama.

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