Finally, PM Anwar Ibrahim has experienced internet censorship - was it the app owner or service provider? Was it some government action? Will he just TALK - or act in defence of freedom of expression/opinion?
This is exactly how Malaysians feel when the Malaysian government, directly or indirectly cause our POSTS to be blocked or censored. Remember, Malaysia have been requesting social media companies to remove posts -MALAYSIA, Stop asking TIK TOK to CENSOR our posts - Government must ACT only when laws broken and according to LAW.
If Malaysia respects Malaysians, they must respect our freedom of expression, opinions - our freedom to share our views and our freedom to share others' views. If the government has a different opinion, then share it with us - but do not cause 'censorship' or removal of posts - many a time vide extrajudicial means, that leave us at a loss as who did it and why?
A couple of days back, Anwar was all for 'censorship' and 'removal of posts' - but then allegedly, he too has fallen victim to this - when allegedly some of his posts to social media accounts have been removed...
Posts on some of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s social media accounts from yesterday featuring a phone call with Hamas official Basem Naim following the death of the group’s leader Ismail Haniyeh have been removed by Meta....This came a day after the Prime Minister’s Office slammed Meta, Instagram’s parent company, for removing a post on a meeting between Anwar and Haniyeh in Qatar in May.
Anwar, check with Fahmi first - it maybe a Malaysian Government request to META, etc... After all, Malaysia has been requesting removal of posts (and maybe closure of accounts)
Fahmi, TQ for for getting FB to restore my post? Was the removal done by FB, or FB acting on the government's instructions?
Minister Fahmi Fadzil, did the Malaysian government ask Facebook to remove my post? Was it because of Sg Bakap by-elections?
And, the post that was removed was a Media Statement
MALAYSIA, Stop asking TIK TOK to CENSOR our posts - Government must ACT only when laws broken and according to LAW.
So, finally Anwar himself has fallen VICTIM to 'social media censorship' - and the question is WHAT WILL ANWAR DO?
Will Anwar take strong action against the social media operators that VIOLATED our Freedom of Expression/Opinion - he can and he should to also protect ALL Malaysians freedom of expression/opinion? He should take action against this violation of our freedom of expression/opinion - where he, as our Prime Minister, has the ability and the capacity to do so - including the taking of LEGAL ACTION - but will Anwar do it? Or, as usual, it stops with words and no further action?
Social Media Apps and Service Providers - provide its users a MEANS of communication just like e-mail, phone services and postal services. As such, it must be SO - with no censorship whatsoever including removal of posts expressing views that there APP owners/service providers do not agree with.
Likewise, State should never pressure App owners/service providers of communication services to be responsible for the 'content' of communications by users. We do not want these App owners/service providers to be 'spying' into the contents of our communications - privacy must be respected.
If any user of these Apps or services commit a crime, then action is taken against them - not against App owners/service providers. Only action against App owners/service providers is for their own actions that violate rights & commit crimes > like their extra-judicial censorship of post/comments.
Fahmi and his Ministry, and the government of Malaysia must criminalize 'censorship' of private communications between a user and/or his fellow users vide direct communication or through groups especially.
Like the postal department and phone service providers, no criminal liability for the service providers for crimes by users using their services - UNLESS the service providers actively supports or promotes the said crimes - maybe like the placement or circulation of paid adverts on pornography, online gambling, scams, etc.
A social media license inadvertently may leads to CENSORSHIP (at times even more than what Malaysian government wanted) - WHY? 'Better safe than sorry' mentality creeps it - so these social media App owners(or service providers) will 'spy' on us and remove or censor - our communication, for fear loss of LICENSE if they do not. Thus, is it not the government's fault that led to an invasion of privacy?
But, then in Malaysia - there already exist some BAD laws that allow the government to 'spy' on Malaysians, which ought to be repealed. It may be OK for the government, as part of an investigation on particular suspects of crime to look into private communications of the said suspects (but even that, maybe it should require Court Warrants) - but not to a GENERAL RIGHT to spy on anyone at anytime.
Spying on Private Communication and Internet Activity(8) Section 252 of the CMA provides that the Public Prosecutor may “authorise the officer to intercept or to listen to any communication transmitted or received by any communications”. Under the CMA, “interception capability” means “the capability of any network facilities or network service or applications service to intercept communications under section 265”.
(9) Section 265(1) states that “[t]he Minister may determine that a licensee or class of licensees shall implement the capability to allow authorised interception of communications.”... - Resolution on Respect of Privacy, End of “Spying” and Intervention of Internet without Due Notice, and Repeal of Sections 233, 252 and 263 and Other Such Draconian Provisions in the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (“CMA”) -Bar Resolution on Respect of Privacy, End of “Spying” and Intervention of Internet without Due Notice, ... Will Anwar's PH-led government do the needful?
How many Social Media Apps/Service Providers have been AUTHORISED by the MINISTER (Fahmi now) to 'intercept our communications' - that most likely includes the ability to censor, block, etc?
Is Anwar Ibrahim now a victim of Apps/Service Providers who have been authorized by Minister Fahmi?
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said the new regulations for social media and internet messaging services ....is to tackle the spread of crime and harmful information online...' To prevent SCAMS .. that have already scammed people to lose about RM2.5 billion. To prevent 'cyber-bullying' that cause people to commit suicide...
How many of these 'criminals' have been investigated, charged, tried and convicted by the Malaysian courts? What are the problems faced in taking action against these criminals? Is the law sufficient - or is there a need for amendments of the law to enable effective prosecution and conviction against such criminals in Malaysia? OR is there a need to amend these laws to make it more effective so these criminals, wherever they are, to be successfully investigated, charged, tried and convicted in Malaysia? This is what we need to FOCUS on...
The focus may not be on the 'licensing' of social media app owners/service providers? The focus should not be on the giving of authority to social media app owners/service providers the power and/or legal justification to CENSOR posts or block account owners/users - or to 'SPY' on our communications - now Minister can authorize 'interception' of communication - Section 265(1)Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. So, did Minister Fahmi(or his predecessors) give META, the owners of Facebook and Instagram have such a Malaysian Minister's authorization which is wide enough to enable them to 'intercept' and even remove post, not just the post that Malaysian government asked them to specifically remove?
Was Anwar's post removed because of this 'authorisation'? Or was it removed on the request of some other governments like Israel, US,etc...?
Anwar should take LEGAL ACTION, not just talk, against META for their violation of freedom of expression, opinion, communication, etc...but Anwar may not be strong enough to do this, and this will just end with media reports/statements...
The removal was allegedly because ' It looks like you shared or sent symbols, praise or support of people and organisations that we define as dangerous, or followed them' - does META decide on who is people and/or organisations deemed 'dangerous'? Are they following the US's or other nations definition? Or are they following the UN's definition? Either way, if they so remove such post - it can lead to a 'misrepresentation' of facts? Should META be neutral - and not interfere in user's expressions/opinions?
Anwar: Social media licence targets online crime, safeguards freedom of speech
PUTRAJAYA, July 30 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said the new regulations for social media and internet messaging services will not curb freedom of speech in Malaysia.
Instead, he reaffirmed that it is to tackle the spread of crime and harmful information online.
“This country is a democratic country, freedom must be given to people to voice their views, whether they agree, criticise or oppose.
“Regarding this digital, cyber and social media issue, it is used, for example, to abuse others until some committed suicide. Some commit child sexual abuse,” he said in his speech when officiating the National Safety Month 2024 here.
“Is this justified? A scam that has reached RM2.5 billion. Many people are deceived using social media facilities.
“When we say we must block (such posts), it is said to restrict freedom. Is it freedom to cheat? Freedom to steal and cause others to kill themselves?” he asked.
On Saturday, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said social media and messaging services with at least eight million registered users in Malaysia will need to apply for a Class Application Service Licence under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588).
This new regulatory framework will take effect from August 1, with the licensing requirement enforced from January 1 next year. - Malay Mail, 30/7/2024
PM’s social media posts on Haniyeh’s death removed
The English versions of the posts have been removed from Anwar Ibrahim’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, but remain on the X platform.
Checks by FMT this morning found that the English versions of these posts had vanished from Anwar’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
However, the posts on X remain unaffected.
This came a day after the Prime Minister’s Office slammed Meta, Instagram’s parent company, for removing a post on a meeting between Anwar and Haniyeh in Qatar in May.
Anwar had taken to social media to express his condolences and pay tribute following Haniyeh’s assassination in Iran.
He said detractors who had criticised him for meeting with Haniyeh in the past failed to appreciate the Hamas leader’s desire for a peaceful Middle East and a Palestinian nation restored to its rightful dignity.
Anwar said.I mourn the loss of a dear friend and a valiant advocate for his people. Al-Fatihah,
The prime minister also condemned the assassination of Haniyeh, who was Hamas’s political bureau chairman.
In a Facebook post today, Anwar said Meta had disrespected and insulted the Palestinian people’s struggle by removing the post on his tribute for the late Hamas leader.
“It makes no sense when a tribute to a freedom fighter striving to liberate his homeland from oppression and suffering is regarded as ‘dangerous’.
he said.Let this serve as a clear and unequivocal message to Meta: cease this display of cowardice and stop acting as instruments of the oppressive Zionist Israeli regime,
He also shared screenshots showing how Meta had removed the posts for going against the platforms’ community guidelines on dangerous individuals and organisations.
In May, Meta removed content relating to
Anwar’s meeting with Haniyeh but later restored the posts which it said
were taken down in error. - FMT, 1/8/2024
Meta's top brass behind removal of Anwar's Hamas posts, says Fahmi
KUALA LUMPUR: Meta's decision to remove several posts by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was made at the highest level, not by Meta's Asia regional team, says Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said that the Asia regional team was also unclear about the reasons behind this decision.
"As of noon, Meta had not informed the MCMC, but in discussions with Meta's Asia regional officials, they did not indicate that this action came from their level.
"It's likely that this decision was made at a higher level, possibly from a different rank. We will seek confirmation.
"This is very disappointing. We need to get clarity before considering further action. Such occurrences should not happen," Fahmi said after attending Friday prayers with Anwar at Masjid Negara here today.
He added that the government will take action against Meta once an explanation was given.
A meeting between Meta and the government was expected next week.
"We are considering our options. We need an explanation from Meta first because its regional officials are very confused about this. I do not blame them.
"A Meta delegation will be arriving next week, and we will wait until they arrive."
He said the decision to remove several posts related to the Hamas leader also affected Perikatan Nasional's Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amiruddin Shari.
Yesterday, Anwar slammed Meta for removing more of his posts on Haniyeh, saying it was "unreasonable".
Anwar's posts conveying his condolences to Hamas official Dr Basem Naim over Haniyeh's death were removed from Meta-owned platforms Facebook and Instagram.
On Instagram, the posts were removed as they were claimed to have contained "dangerous individuals and organisations".
A notification from Facebook said Anwar's posts were removed as they had elements that praised or supported people or organisations that had been defined as dangerous.- NST, 2/8/2024
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