Malaysia’s Proposed Social Media eKYC Risks Repeating South Korea’s Mistake
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...