SHAH ALAM - The government must ensure that the country's cyber-related laws have clear mechanisms to address the existence of fake accounts.
Cybersecurity expert Fong Choong Fook said aspects needing attention included the requirement for user identity verification during account registration and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to proactively detect and eliminate fake accounts.
Additionally, he said platform operators should be mandated to cooperate with authorities by providing the necessary information to investigate and prosecute cyberbullying perpetrators.
"Heavier penalties should be imposed on those using fake accounts for cyberbullying or spreading hate to have a more effective deterrent effect.
"Existing laws may not be sufficient to curb the problem of cyberbullying as a whole. Although there are related laws such as the Communications and Multimedia Act and the Personal Data Protection Act, there are still weaknesses in enforcement and strictness against cyberbullies.
"Therefore, amendments and improvements to existing laws need to be made to address new challenges arising from technological advancements and social media usage," he said.
He was commenting on Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil's statement that the issue of cyberbullying on social media platforms would be presented at the Cabinet meeting next Friday to find the best solutions, including legal and enforcement aspects.
He explained that the presentation was requested by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and would also touch on reports regarding an incident involving an influencer on the TikTok application who allegedly committed suicide due to the pressure of cyberbullying.
Fong who is also cybersecurity consulting firm LGMS Bhd executive chairman said Malaysia should consider establishing more specific laws to regulate social media platform operators.
He added that such laws should also require platform operators to monitor and screen content that leads to cyberbullying.
"They must also be responsible for taking immediate action on cyberbullying reports, including removing harmful content and imposing sanctions on the involved accounts.
"This will ensure that social media platforms are safer," he said.