KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Social media influencers should exercise restraint and avoid sensationalising content merely for views, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He was responding to a recent case involving a local influencer who created social media content claiming that a friend had ‘gone missing’ in a forest in Indonesia.
Fahmi said the matter has been handed over to the relevant authorities for further action.
“Since this incident occurred abroad, I urge media representatives to refer to Wisma Putra (Foreign Ministry) for official updates. For influencers who create content for their audience, my advice is to be mindful and responsible.
"Do not go overboard. Let this serve as a lesson for us all to improve our approach. Sometimes, the content presented may not reflect the actual situation, but netizens are quick to conduct their investigations.
“I observed that some influencers had obtained verification (about this case), but if this issue involves enforcement authorities, we should leave it to them to conduct the investigation,” he said.
Fahmi was asked whether the government had received any reports regarding the influencer and whether the ministry planned to take any action.
The minister also noted that while influencers are not subject to licensing, they should still uphold ethical standards in their content.
“My reminder is that although we do not license influencers or content creators, we must learn from this situation and avoid producing (such content) or engaging in such actions,” he said.
— Bernama
