KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed Online Safety Bill will put greater responsibility on social media platforms who have been alarmingly lax in the fight against online scams and financial fraud, says an expert.
Universiti Sains Malaysia's cybersecurity expert Associate Professor Dr Selvakumar Manickam said the bill is crucial towards addressing the escalating issue of online financial crimes and scams.
By holding the service providers accountable for removing harmful content, he said, the bill aims to create a safer environment.
"It is important to acknowledge that social media companies, despite possessing powerful tools and resources, have been alarmingly lax in combating online threats.
"Also, they have operated with little regard for the real-world consequences their platforms enable, leaving users vulnerable to scams, fraud, and other dangers," Selvakumar told the New Straits Times today.
He said this lack of accountability is caused by a lack of comprehensive legal frameworks, even in their countries of origin.
He suggested the bill to include clear and comprehensive definitions of online financial crimes and scams covered by the bill, ensuring clarity for both platforms and users.
He also recommended establishing specific guidelines for content removal, including timelines, appeal procedures, and mechanisms for redress.
"To enhance the fight against online scams, social media companies should be mandated to implement real-time reporting systems that immediately flag potentially fraudulent activities to both authorities and financial institutions," he said.
Such a system, he added, would allow for swift action, such as blocking suspicious transactions, significantly reducing the risk of financial damage and preventing criminals from fleeing with stolen funds.
While this proactive approach may generate some false positives, Selvakumar said, temporarily delaying legitimate transactions, the overall benefit of safeguarding users from financial harm far outweighs this minor inconvenience.
He said prioritising user safety and implementing robust preventative measures is crucial in combating the pervasive threat of online scams.
Earlier, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran said the Online Safety Bill would be brought to the cabinet for consideration.
Kulasegaran said the bill would place the responsibility on service providers to remove content reported as harmful.