KUALA LUMPUR: The increase in the number of complaints on fake news shows that the public is now more aware about not spreading unverified and fake news, says Gobind Singh Deo.
The Communications and Multimedia Minister said this after the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) website, Sebenarnya.my, recorded more than 70 million hits since its inception.
The website was set up in 2017 to counter fake news.
“The website received 3,361 reports from members of the public on news whose truth could not be verified. The number of reports of fake news from members of the public also increased by 55% from 340 last year to 572 as of September this year,” said Gobind.
He was responding to a question raised by Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz (PAS-Bachok) in Dewan Rakyat today.
Gobind added that his ministry was also currently developing a fact-checker system to allow social media users to verify their news source.
Meanwhile, on Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee’s (PH-Beluran) suggestion that amendments should be made to the Personal Data Protection Act besides punishing online hackers, Gobind said his ministry is already in the midst of reviewing the act.
Since 2017 and up till October this year, five individuals had been charged and fined a total of RM54,000 for breach of confidential personal data.
A further seven online criminals were slapped with compounds totalling RM80,000 for the same offence in the same period.
