The TikTok app icon on a smartphone in this illustration taken Oct 27, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic)

Malaysia takes TikTok to task over 'offensive' content against king

TikTok failed to "take sufficient and timely action" on a fake account that carried the allegedly defamatory posts against Sultan Ibrahim.

21 May 2026, 10:38 · CNA · Join

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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has ordered TikTok to take immediate steps to improve how it regulates harmful content following the circulation of posts deemed "grossly offensive" to the country's royals, the communications regulator said on Thursday (May 21).

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said the social media platform owned by China-based ByteDance failed to "take sufficient and timely action" on a fake account that carried the allegedly defamatory posts against Sultan Ibrahim, the country's current king.

The content included material deemed "grossly offensive, false, menacing and insulting in nature, including AI-generated videos and manipulated images", the regulator said.

"MCMC take serious view of any misuse of online platforms to disseminate content that is grossly offensive, false, menacing or detrimental to public order, particularly where it involves the institution of the king and the Malay rulers," it said in a statement.

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"Such matters fall within the broader context of race, religion and royal issues, which are highly sensitive, undermines public order, national harmony and respect for constitutional institution."

The regulator added that "despite prior notifications and engagements, TikTok's moderation response to the content has been found unsatisfactory, particularly in ensuring prompt removal and preventing further dissemination of harmful material".

MCMC said it had issued a statutory demand requiring TikTok to take immediate steps to enforce stronger measures against harmful content.

"The issuance of the statutory demand requires TikTok to ... also provide a formal explanation regarding its moderation failures," MCMC said.

AFP has contacted TikTok for comment.

The Southeast Asian nation has intensified oversight of social media platforms in recent years amid a sharp rise in harmful online content.

In March, local media reported that Malaysia Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government planned to block children under 16 from signing up for social media accounts by the end of June.

Sultan Ibrahim took the throne in 2024 under the country's unique constitutional monarchy system where nine state rulers who hail from centuries-old Islamic royalty take turns ruling every five years.

The monarchy has been a stabilising institution in Malaysian society and politics.

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