Malaysia to Pass Regulations to Compensate Media Outlets for the Sourced Content

Malaysia announced on September 5 that it is considering regulations that would require Alphabet's Google and Facebook parent Meta Platforms to compensate news outlets for content sourced from them.

Malaysia is in talks with Google, Meta, and other major online platforms about a regulatory framework, according to a statement issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) following a meeting with officials from both companies.

The proposed regulations will be similar to those in Australia, which made it mandatory for Google and Meta to compensate media outlets for content that generates clicks and advertising dollars in 2021, according to the MCMC.

The MCMC is also considering rules similar to those proposed by Bill C-11 in Canada, which seeks to regulate streaming platforms and requires them to support Canadian content.

The rules, it said, were part of the government's efforts to address "imbalances" in income for digital platforms and local media, as well as to ensure "fair compensation for news content creators."

The MCMC also stated that it was in talks with social media platforms to address online harm such as abusive content, online gambling, and financial scams. Under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who took office in November, Malaysia has increased its scrutiny of online content.

Malaysia announced earlier this year that it would sue Meta for failing to take action against harmful content on its Facebook platform, but dropped the plan after meetings with the company.