Malaysia Moves to Muzzle Malicious Content on Telegram
A Malaysian court has issued a temporary injunction against the messaging platform Telegram and two of its affiliated channels, citing the alleged spread of harmful content. The action follows repeated warnings from authorities that, according to officials, went unheeded by the platform. The development was announced Thursday by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Reuters reports.
The two Telegram channels—“EDC Siasat” and “EDC Khas”—stand accused of distributing content that could “erode public confidence in national institutions and incite unrest in society.” While authorities did not disclose the specific nature of the content, they emphasized its potentially destabilizing impact.
The court’s order prohibits both the dissemination of the content in question and the future publication of similar material. In a statement, the MCMC noted, “Telegram will be given full opportunity to defend itself.”
Earlier this year, Malaysia introduced new legislation requiring all social media and messaging platforms with more than 8 million users in the country to obtain a license or face legal consequences. The law is part of a broader crackdown on what the government defines as harmful online content—including illegal gambling, scams, child pornography, hate speech, and sensitive materials involving race, religion, and the monarchy.
