META’S recent decision to remove independent fact-checking on its platforms, starting in the US, raises crucial concerns over the future of digital trust.
Its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, introduced the community notes model as a replacement, allowing users to flag misleading or falsified content.
Evaluating the decision, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil acknowledged that the move would have repercussions but would not affect Malaysia’s social media community anytime soon.
While this shift may seem alarming at first, it could also act as a catalyst
in Malaysia for stronger journalistic integrity, more responsible content-sharing and cultivating a more media-literate society that actively engages in verifying information they read or watch on social media.
Restoring public confidence in the media
Without Meta’s automated checks to flag false information, the public may further gravitate towards media organisations for credible and accurate reporting of current affairs.
However, the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report revealed a slight decline in the percentage of trust in traditional media for general news and information from 62% in 2024 to 58% in 2025.
Therefore, this shift presents media organisations in Malaysia with a crucial opportunity to re-evaluate their internal fact-checking measures to ensure credibility in reporting.
Media outlets can also establish dedicated fact-checking teams within their editorial departments to enhance accuracy and transparency in their reporting.
To rebuild trust, newsroom editors and journalists should adopt more rigorous verification procedures, prioritise transparency in their reporting and enforce strong editorial policies. This will help the public to distinguish credible news sources from unverified or agenda-driven content.
As a result, this competition among media outlets for public trust may push the industry towards higher journalistic standards.
Encouraging ethical content sharing
According to the 2024 Global Digital Report, Malaysia has one of the highest social media penetration rates in Southeast Asia, with about 83% of the Malaysian population having a social media identity.
The report also revealed that Malaysians rely heavily on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp for staying in touch with friends and family, keeping up with current events and finding entertainment.
The rise of social media has fuelled the growth of influencer marketing, where influencers shape public perception of products and brands
by offering relatable and personal endorsements.
By sharing their experiences directly with their audience, influencers create a sense of trust and authenticity that traditional advertising often lacks.
Beyond promotions, influencers or content creators often serve as alternative sources of information, with many Malaysians following them for insights on diverse topics, from politics and health to social issues and entertainment.
Without a layer of automated gatekeeping, social media personalities together with corporate brands must take greater responsibility for the accuracy of their content and approach to content sharing to avoid misinformation-related controversies.
Influencers should fact-check the products and services they are promoting on their platforms and verify their statements or claims
before posting.
Spreading fake or misleading information will not only damage
their reputations but endanger public safety, as seen in the recent controversy surrounding “edible cosmetics” promoted by a skincare brand.
Similarly, corporations should implement internal guidelines requiring all social media posts to undergo fact-checking, especially for sensitive topics like health, finance and social justice. They may also work with fact-checking organisations
to validate information before publishing.
Increasing media literacy and accountability
Perhaps, most importantly, Meta’s adoption of community notes can
also empower Malaysians to shift
from passive consumption of digital content to a more active and critical engagement with information.
Media literacy skills are important to promote community-led verification efforts.
To build a more informed society, fact-checking and ethical digital communication should be integrated into the curricula in schools and higher education institutions to teach students to critically evaluate online sources and encourage responsible social media use.
Meanwhile, as an immediate starting point, the public can use fact-checking platforms such as sebenarnya.my and jomcheck.org to verify reports and debunk viral misinformation.
Sebenarnya.my is a fact-checking website by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, designed for the public to verify facts and check for fake viral news. JomCheck alliance is the first academe-media-civil society alliance in Malaysia to mitigate the harm of misinformation.
As the digital landscape evolves, building a society that values truth, accuracy and ethical communication, regardless of what policies social media platforms choose to implement, is more crucial than ever.
Rather than wait for platforms to regulate misinformation, Malaysia must take ownership of its information landscape through education, media integrity and responsible content sharing.
Siow Yuen Ching is a senior lecturer in the School of Diploma and Professional Studies at Taylor’s College. A former journalist and features editor, she currently teaches journalism and mass communication in the Diploma in Communication programme.
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