Sell porn videos through social apps
SHAH ALAM: Using a different name if blocked is a common tactic used by porn website providers.
In addition, porn website providers based abroad are also detected using different Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to avoid their operations or activities being detected by the authorities.
Not only that, but there is also pornographic content on apps and social media that charge a certain amount of money if someone wants to get it.
For the year 2020 until last February, the Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) has blocked 4,240 porn sites on the internet.
SKMM’s Chief Regulatory Officer, Zulkarnain Mohd Yasin said, enforcement actions against individuals who misuse the internet to upload obscene content will be investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588).
According to him, access restriction actions have been implemented involving 4,240 pornographic websites since 2020.
“Based on the actions and investigations carried out, it was found that the provider of this pornographic website was detected from abroad.
“SKMM took measures to restrict public access to websites that display pornographic content,” he told Sinar Harian in a special interview at SKMM Headquarters recently.
According to Zulkarnain, storing obscene content in a mobile phone is also an offense that can be acted upon under Section 292 of the Penal Code.
Zulkarnain said that many people are not aware of the offense of keeping pornographic content in their mobile phones because they think it is a matter of privacy when it is an offence.
“If an inspection is carried out, even if it’s just a photo, it will still be an offense and can be subject to legal action,” he stressed.
Zulkarnain explained that his party also received various complaints that the content of these pornographic videos or pictures were spread through short messages such as WhatsApp.
“It seems to be a trend where the spreader may intend to joke, spreading the content through groups on social media and so on.
“This kind of act is an offense if a complaint is made by a member of the group then legal action can be taken against the perpetrator,” he said.
Sell porn videos
He revealed that SKMM detected pornographic content being sold on social media platforms to make a profit.
“These irresponsible individuals have been spotted creating certain groups on social media platforms before charging a fee for anyone who wants to join the group.
“The group is placed in privacy mode which requires that only those who pay can join the group to browse the porn content that is uploaded,” he explained.
He said, MCMC always cooperates with relevant social media platform providers for further action.
“It should be noted that any activity of disseminating obscene content both online and offline is subject to national law and it is an offense punishable,” he said.
He explained that action can be taken against any individual found to be involved in this offense in accordance with the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
“Any individual convicted of an offense can be fined a maximum of RM50,000 or imprisoned for one year or both if convicted.
“In addition, other relevant laws will also apply according to the facts of the case being investigated, and also subject to the provisions of existing laws such as the Penal Code which is under the jurisdiction of the PDRM,” he added.
Zulkarnain said, there are cases where an individual keeps a personal collection in a device and then the device used is lost.
“The device was later found by irresponsible people before it was hacked and then the obscene video or picture was widely distributed.
“Many are not aware of the impact in the future, if the picture or video is spread, it will certainly have an impact on the individual himself,” he said.
He said, SKMM at the same time also detected ugly videos related to beauty products that have obscene elements on social media.
“There are promotions related to beauty products, internal health for example, which have ugly elements and are not suitable for all ages.
“Regarding this matter, SKMM will work with parties such as the Malaysian Ministry of Health (KKM) for example to ensure that the product involved is registered or not and then follow up with the ugly promotional methods or techniques used,” he said.
Zulkarnain said, in terms of enforcement, the MCMC’s actions focus on offenses under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
In the meantime, there is also pornographic content related to prostitution activities.
“For any offense under other provisions of the law, for example the activity of seeking subscriptions for the purpose of prostitution can be an offense under Section 372B of the Penal Code.
“Complaints related to the matter will be forwarded to the PDRM for investigation and further action under the provisions of the law,” said Zulkarnain.
According to him, cooperation and coordination has already been established between SKMM and the providers of social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram in the context of the presence of obscene content detected through the platforms involved.
“Obscene content is indeed an offense based on community standards on the platform.
“Any obscene content that is reported will be deleted according to the community standards set by them,” he said.
In addition, cooperation also involves the Women and Children’s Sexual Crimes Investigation Division (D11) of PDRM to involve pornographic content with criminal elements.
“It includes investigations involving cases of obscene content involving the issue of pedophilia and child pornography which will be investigated under the Sexual Offenses Against Children Act 2017.
“The SKMM also cooperates with the International Police (Interpol) if it involves obscene content detected abroad which also involves the issue of pedophilia and child pornography,” he said.
According to Zulkarnain, frequent browsing of pornographic content will result in addiction to the browser.
“Browsing pornographic content either through websites or over the phone not only damages and weakens common sense, but also causes a person to experience addiction in addition to having an impact on the individual’s sexual development.
“The most worried is that it will result in bad effects not only involving the perpetrators involved but also the effects on the family and the community itself which is feared to be the impetus for unhealthy symptoms such as free sex and so on,” he said.
Various mediums deal with pornographic content
Zulkarnain added that the measures taken by his side in curbing the spread of pornographic content are not merely enforcement.
“Among those carried out involves an advocacy program that provides various info and information related to the effects of browsing pornographic content, including the effects from a mental and physical point of view.
“At the same time, it educates the community regarding ethical aspects and beyond to avoid the abuse of social media that encourages people to browse pornographic content,” he said.
He explained, the focus is also given from the point of view of internet users themselves in order to be more responsible and equally foster a culture of using social media wisely.
“Awareness related to the use of pornographic content actually starts at home where the emphasis aspect needs to be played by parents themselves, in addition, SKMM also emphasizes the initiative of self-screening of content by parents known as Parental Control Tools.
“This initiative makes it easier for parents to monitor and filter the content accessed by families and children, in order to avoid the spread of unwanted content while also ensuring more positive and safe use of the internet,” he said.
According to Zulkarnain, advocacy programs such as the Klik Dengan Bijak Campaign (KDB) were introduced in 2012 and until now SKMM actively educates Malaysians to be prudent users of social media.
“The emphasis on three main cores involves safety, vigilance and responsibility, thus emphasizing self-regulation.
“The responsibility is not only on the shoulders of the enforcement agencies but also on the users themselves, where the practice of self-control is important to protect a person from the display of negative content such as this pornographic content,” he said.
BETWEEN CASES
MAY 15, 2022
The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) received tens of thousands of internet protocol (IP) addresses suspected of sharing child pornography on the internet from international authorities over the past six years.
However, due to lack of manpower, the number of arrests and inspections carried out is much smaller than that.
PDRM received 93,368 IP addresses suspected of being involved in the activity from an information sharing system made up of the International Police (Interpol), the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children.
MARCH 1, 2023
A total of 58 percent or 1,631 of the 2,825 complaints received and investigated by the Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) regarding the offense of misusing communication services and social media in the period from 2009 to March 1, were for the offense of spreading obscene content.
In addition, complaints of spreading ugly content recorded a total of 546 cases, followed by inappropriate content (seven), fake content (574) and the remaining 74 complaints involving threatening content and inappropriate content.
Of the complaints received, a total of 108 cases are still under investigation, 115 cases have been charged in court, 40 cases have been compounded with a total value of RM138,250 and 84 cases have been issued warning notices.
23 MARCH 2023
The Ministry of Communications and Digital (KKD) has received a total of 1,282 complaints related to the spread of pornographic content on Twitter.
All of these have been taken action by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) and referred to the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM).
