713 deepfake content items involving political leaders taken down

KUALA LUMPUR - A total of 713 pieces of content involving deepfakes or manipulated images of political party leaders were taken down by service providers between Jan 1, 2025, and Sept 15 this year.

The Ministry of Communications said the takedown actions were carried out following requests from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), based on complaints received, violations of service providers' community guidelines, and applicable local laws.

"To ensure enforcement is not selective, MCMC’s actions are based on legal provisions, the elements of the offence, facts, and evidence, without regard to the political affiliation, position, or background of the individuals involved," the ministry said in a written published on the Parliament website.

The ministry was responding to a question from Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamuddean (PN-Alor Setar) on the number of complaints and actions taken regarding deepfake content involving political party leaders from 2025 to 2026.

The ministry said misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including deepfakes, scams, and identity fraud, is addressed based on the nature and elements of the offence, as well as the jurisdiction of the relevant ministry or enforcement agency.

"For content containing elements that are obscene, indecent, false, threatening, grossly offensive, or harmful, the MCMC may take action under the provisions of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) or the Online Safety Act 2025 (Act 866)," it said.

In cases involving prosecution, the matter is referred to the Attorney General's Chambers for assessment, with prosecution proceeding only after written consent is obtained from the Public Prosecutor.

The ministry said checks and balances under laws regulated by the MCMC are in place to ensure the commission acts fairly and independently, without external pressure.

Meanwhile, the ministry said the MCMC is implementing an Early Warning System (EWS) using Cell Broadcast System (CBS) technology to deliver disaster warnings more rapidly, precisely, and effectively to compatible mobile devices in affected areas.

The system will complement and eventually replace the existing warning delivery method via Short Message Service (SMS), it said.

"The implementation of this system is based on inclusive design principles to ensure that the benefits of emergency information delivery reach all segments of society, including users with visual or hearing impairments and those with reading difficulties.

"In addition to text display, the CBS is designed to support the delivery of warning messages via vibration and audio through accessibility features on compatible mobile devices, such as screen readers or voice output,” the ministry said.

The ministry was responding to a question from Zahir Hassan (PH-Wangsa Maju), who sought updates on the CBS implementation and whether the system was designed to be accessible to the visually impaired and those with reading difficulties.

Regarding warning delivery continuity during network or internet outages, the ministry said CBS has an advantage as warning messages are transmitted directly via mobile networks to users' devices in affected areas, without requiring the recipient's phone number, SMS services, or an internet connection.