MCMC and MMU Leaders Engage in Dialogue on Social Media’s Impact

On 13 August 2024, the Learning Institute for Empowerment (LIfE) hosted an Integrity and Leadership session at Dewan Tun Canselor, Cyberjaya campus, featuring an engaging panel discussion on the topic “Social Media – Impact and Challenges We Face Today.”

The session brought together distinguished industry leaders namely Adjunct Professor Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din, Chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC); Datuk Ts. Dr. Mohamed Sulaiman Suhaibuddeen, Chief Network Security Officer of MCMC; and Prof. Dato’ Dr. Mazliham Mohd Su’ud, President of Multimedia University (MMU).

Attended by 2,000 students, the dialogue explored pressing issues surrounding social media, including the spread of misinformation, online scams, cyberbullying, privacy concerns, and the influence of harmful viral content. The discussion also examined ways to foster a safer and more responsible digital environment, especially for Malaysia’s youth, who are the most active demographic on social media platforms.

The session highlighted the need to balance freedom of speech with measures to control harmful content, emphasising the role of regulators in maintaining both openness and safety online. It also stressed the importance of personal responsibility in safeguarding privacy, outlined enforcement mechanisms to ensure platform compliance, and underscored the role of higher education in nurturing responsible digital citizens through the integration of digital literacy and social media ethics into curricula. The session concluded with a  Q&A session, reflecting the audience’s keen interest in understanding and addressing the complexities of today’s social media landscape.