Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s communications regulator has ordered TikTok to take immediate action against content described as “offensive and defamatory” toward the country’s monarchy, including AI-generated videos and manipulated images linked to King Sultan Ibrahim.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it had instructed the platform to implement “immediate remedial measures” after identifying content from an account claiming links to Sultan Ibrahim.
According to the regulator, TikTok was directed to strengthen its moderation policies and provide a formal explanation for what authorities described as failures to block “grossly offensive, false, menacing and insulting” material circulating on the platform.
The MCMC said it takes a “serious view” of digital platforms being used to spread false information or content considered harmful to public order, particularly when it concerns the Malaysian royal institution.
Authorities added that the latest order followed what they described as an “unsatisfactory” response from TikTok to earlier notifications regarding the disputed content.
TikTok, owned by Chinese technology company ByteDance, did not immediately issue a public response.
Malaysia, which operates under a constitutional monarchy system, enforces strict laws regarding speech directed at the royal family. Under the country’s Sedition Act of 1948, statements deemed capable of inciting “hatred or contempt” against the monarchy are punishable by law.
The move marks the latest effort by Malaysian authorities to tighten oversight of social media and digital platforms.
Earlier this year, the MCMC temporarily blocked access to the AI assistant Grok amid international controversy over the creation of explicit AI-generated images without consent.
The Malaysian government is also preparing to implement legislation restricting social media access for users under the age of 16, following similar regulatory moves introduced in countries including Australia, Indonesia, and France.