PETALING JAYA: TikTok Malaysia is improving its moderation technology and enhancing community guidelines to better protect users against cyberbullying.
Although it has already met all regulatory and legal requirements, the social media platform is taking steps to speed up its detection of cyberbullying and take preventive measures, its head of public policy, Anuar Fariz Fadzil, said.
"If the content, be it video or comments, violates community guidelines — and this includes foul language, swear words or threats — we will remove it," Anuar told FMT after a panel discussion on Thursday titled "Surf’s up: deputies of digital literacy" at the University of Nottingham Malaysia.
On July 6, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said TikTok’s handling of cyberbullying complaints "has been very disappointing", adding that the social media platform seemed to be taking the matter "lightly".
However Anuar rejected this assertion, saying TikTok has zero tolerance for bullies.
“We are ramping up our resources domestically to spot (cases of cyberbullying), especially with regard to the local context.
"We want to (detect it) early so no one else falls victim on any platform," he said, referring to the death of 29-year-old TikTok influencer Rajeswary Appahu, better known as "Esha", recently.
Esha reportedly killed herself after being bullied online by other users.
Meanwhile, activist David Marshel has urged the government to take action following Esha’s death. He claimed that the woman had been harassed by several people, most of whom used pseudonyms or fake accounts.
Two individuals have since been charged.
Lorry driver B Sathiskumar, 44, pleaded guilty in the Kuala Lumpur sessions court to a charge brought under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for posting lewd comments on TikTok on June 30 with the intention to annoy others.
He has not been sentenced as he faces a second charge under Section 509 of the Penal Code for posting lewd comments with the intention to outrage the modesty of Esha’s mother, PR Puspa, 56, at 10.15pm on the same day, for which he has claimed trial.
Sathiskumar faces up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to RM50,000, or both, on the first charge.
If convicted on the second charge, Sathiskumar is liable to up to five years in jail, a fine, or both.
In the other case, P Shalini, 35, was slapped by the magistrates’ court here with a RM100 fine after pleading guilty to an offence under the Minor Offences Act 1955 of engaging in insulting behaviour with the intention of inciting anger and disrupting peace.
A day before her death, Rajeswary, who was also a Hindu rights activist, filed a police report saying she had been harassed on TikTok.
Anuar said TikTok has been working "very closely" with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the police in the investigation.
