#PowerOfPlatform

[xinotsine-3]

Week 11: Digital Citizenship and Conflict: Social Media Governance

Have you ever been in a group where one person making laugh of people in embarrassment and kept pushing the line “as a joke”? Or have you ever scrolled through TikTok that went viral and had comments that went from funny to disgusting in just a few seconds? It’s not just a drama, that’s what conflict in digital spaces looks like. And most important is: it’s not always about “freedom of speech”, it’s not new, and it’s not harmless.

What is Social Media Governance?

Social media governance is a process where a structured framework of a business rules, practices, and systems that determine how digital platforms are managed its presence on social media platforms (Murthy 2024). International conventions, national laws, company rules, and user-driven moderation are all mixed together. Additionally, different governments have different positions on regulation; the European Union prioritizes individuals rights and safety, China prioritizes state control, while the United States prioritizes free expression (Bologa 2023).

Micro-level governance is also present on social media sites like Facebook and Reddit, where moderators enforce community rules and are frequently overworked and unpaid.

Online Harassment is more than just Trolling!

“Trolling” is more than just making jokes these days. It involves serious actions that could happen alongside at any time such as coordinated campaigns, image-based harassment, and threatening messages, particularly directed at women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people of color (UNICEF 2025).

In Plan International’s 2020 global study, 59% of girls reported that they had been the victim of online harassment, which frequently took the form of abusive language, sexual threats, or harmful rumors (Plan International 2023). According to a Guardian study, between 10 most abused writers, eight of them are women, and the two men are black.

So what can we do to change this world?

Online harassment is illegal in Malaysia under a number of laws. Under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the use of network services to “annoy, abuse, or harass” other people is illegal (ZUL RAFIQUE & partners 2023). Sections 503-506 of the Penal Code address threats and intimidation, whereas Section 509 deals with insulting modesty. Although there is still a lack of cyberbullying law in Malaysia, these provisions provide some legal protection.

Beyond the law, NGOs like AWAM and EMPOWER provide victims with support and education outside of the legal system. In the meantime, young creators and influencers are raising awareness and fighting back against trolls on sites like TikTok.

But still, social media platforms need to have innovation. Whether it’s based on protecting victims from harassment, or setting the rules for users to express their freedom. Malaysians believe that platforms take too long to address abuse. We should keep putting pressure on them to enhance moderation and protect users, especially those most at risk.

Being a good digital citizen means more than just using the internet “correctly”. It means pushing back against injustice, calling for improved procedures, and enhancing the safety and inclusivity of the digital environment.

“It’s just the internet” is no longer sufficient.

#MDA20009 #DigitalCitizenship #SocialMediaGovernance #OnlineHarassment #Justice #PowerOfPlatforms

Bologa, A 2023, The Battle for the Soul of the Digital Economy –An Interview with Anu Bradford on Digital Empires - Groupe d’études géopolitiques, Groupe d’études géopolitiques, viewed 11 June 2025, <https://geopolitique.eu/en/2023/12/17/the-battle-for-the-soul-of-the-digital-economy-an-interview-with-anu-bradford-on-digital-empires/>. 

Gardiner, B, Mansfield, M, Anderson, I, Holder, J, Daan Louter & Ulmanu, M 2016, The dark side of Guardian comments, the Guardian, The Guardian, viewed 11 June 2025, <https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/12/the-dark-side-of-guardian-comments>. 

Murthy, S 2024, Social Media Governance: 9 Essential Components | Sprinklr, Sprinklr.com, viewed 11 June 2025, <https://www.sprinklr.com/blog/social-media-governance/>. 

UNICEF 2025, Cyberbullying: What is it and how to stop it, Unicef.org, viewed 11 June 2025,  <https://www.unicef.org/stories/how-to-stop-cyberbullying>. 

Plan International 2023, State of the World’s Girls 2020: Free to Be Online? - Plan International, Plan International, viewed 11 June 2025, <https://plan-international.org/publications/free-to-be-online/>. 

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

MWC Barcelona 2023: Huawei Says Industry Cooperation Needed for Accelerating 5G Prosperity

Huawei Carrier BG President Li Peng, delivered a keynote speech today at MWC Barcelona 2023 on reimagining 5G business, reinforcing 5G coverage, and reinventing 5G technologies. In his speech, Li shared insights into user experience and recent 5G development. He said that the industry must work together to accelerate 5G prosperity. http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/2/accelerating%205g%20prosperity?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[gillyroze]

We are in the midst of a reorganization of our economy in which the platform owners are seemingly developing power that may be even more formidable than was that of the factory owners in the early industrial revolution. #powerOfPlatform #disruptiveTechnology #MBA2k16

We are in the midst of a reorganization of our economy in which the platform owners are seemingly developing power that may be even more formidable than was that of the factory owners in the early industrial revolution. #powerOfPlatform #disruptiveTechnology #MBA2k16

source https://twitter.com/IkraMalik9/status/984734664014282752

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Analysys Mason and Huawei Release 5G New Calling White Paper http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/3/5g-newcalling-whitepaper?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

For their 5G application that treats stroke victims quicker, Huawei and partners scoop prestigious GLOMO award from GSMA http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/3/mwc2023-5g-gsma-award-brain-health?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Long-Reach E-band backhaul: Huawei and Cellnex in first commercial deployment in Europe http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/3/longreach-eband-cellnex?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Saudi Telecom Company (stc) and Huawei signed a Memorandum of Understanding towards the F5.5G era to build an all-optical strategic partnership http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/3/mwc2023-stc-huawei-f5-point-5g-mou?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Huawei Launches Next-Generation Microwave MAGICSwave for Faster 5G Deployment http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/3/mwc2023-magicswave-5g?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Huawei RuralLink Wins GSMA GLOMO's 'Best Mobile Innovation for Emerging Markets' Award http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/2/mwc2023-rurallink?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Huawei MetaAAU Wins GSMA GLOMO's 'Best Mobile Network Infrastructure' Award http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/2/mwc2023-best-mobile-network-infrastructure?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Stride to 5.5G Era, Extending Business Frontiers

At MWC Barcelona 2023, Huawei showcases leading technologies, new business opportunities, and industry progress in the 5.5G era. http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/2/mwc2023-fivepointfiveg?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Huawei at MWC 2023: Intelligent World Needs Stronger ICT Industry and Digital Economy http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/2/mwc2023-guide-intelligent-world?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Huawei Releases New White Paper on Mobile VPN Market http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2023/2/mwc2023-mobile-vpn-whitepaper?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Orange and Huawei's Groundbreaking 157 Tbit/s Transmission over a 120 km Fiber in France Has Set a New World Record http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2022/12/optical-innovation-orange?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Huawei and OPPO Sign Global Patent Cross-licensing Agreement http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2022/12/ipr-licensing-huawei-oppo?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[craigbrownphd-blog-blog]

Huawei and Partners Propose a Five-point ICT Talent Framework for Thailand http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2022/12/thailand-ict-competition-2022?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr