TikTok, WeChat Bagged Licensed To Operate

News Update

Malaysia communications regulator said it granted Tencent’s WeChat and ByteDance’s TikTok licences to operate in the country under a new social media law, but that some other platforms had not applied.

The law, aimed at tackling rising cybercrime, requires social media platforms and messaging services with more than eight million users in Malaysia to obtain a licence or face legal action. It came into effect on Jan 1.

In a statement on Wednesday (January 1), the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said messaging platform Telegram was in the final stages of obtaining its licence, while Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, had begun the licensing process.

The regulator said X had not submitted an application because the platform said its local user base did not reach the eight million threshold. The regulator said it was reviewing the validity of X’s claim.

Alphabet’s Google, which operates video platform YouTube, had also not applied for a licence after raising concerns about the video sharing features of YouTube and its classification under the licensing law, the regulator said. It did not state the concerns or how they relate to the law but said YouTube must adhere.

“Platform providers found to be in violation of licensing requirements may be subject to investigation and regulatory actions,” the regulator said.