Siber Sentri

When Malaysia’s Communications Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, introduced a mandatory identity verification for social media platforms, it sparked quite a heated national debate. The proposal, under Malaysia’s upcoming Online Safety Act , aims to make electronic Know-Your-Customer (eKYC) checks mandatory for all social media users. This is a process where users verify their identities using MyKad, passport, or MyDigital ID before being allowed to post, comment, or even create an account. While eKYC is an established practice in high-risk services like banking, requiring it for the dynamic and expressive world of social media would vastly increase both its intended purpose and its potential for misuse. There are no denying the problems the government seeks to tackle: curb widespread online scams, hate speech, and child exploitation. Proponents insist that removing anonymity is a necessary and effective deterrent against these abuses. But looking closer, there are serious concerns from this mea...

  An entire country has effectively vanished from the internet. On September 29, 2025 in Afghanistan cell and internet services nationwide were flatlined dropping to near 0% connectivity, affecting a population of 40 million. This was not a slowdown or restriction but an abrupt full-scale blackout. This all came to light through NetBlocks, a watchdog group that tracks internet connectivity. Traffic graphs did not dip; they nosedived straight to zero within an hour , a level that has since hovered at a negligible 0–1%. Blackout by Blade The regime employed no fancy, sophisticated cyber technology. They went old-school: they just started cutting the fiber optic cables in various regions in the country. Their official statement claimed that “alternative options” would eventually be provided to maintain connectivity needs. The official justification provided by the regime was to prevent 'vice'. A vague, sweeping excuse that invariably becomes the default mask for deeper state co...