MCMC cited a fake TikTok account found to have made fake and offensive content targeting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, including videos and images that were manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence.

It said TikTok’s moderation of such content remained unsatisfactory despite several notifications and engagements about the issue, particularly in immediately removing such content and preventing their further dissemination.

“As a platform rendering social media services in Malaysia, service providers are expected to exercise a higher degree of responsibility in safeguarding their services against exploitation for unlawful and harmful activities.

“The issuance of the statutory demand requires TikTok to undertake immediate remedial measures, including strengthening its content moderation mechanisms and ensuring more effective enforcement against content that violates Malaysian laws and community standards.

“TikTok is also required to provide a formal explanation regarding its moderation failures,” the commission said in a statement.

Yesterday, the Johor royal press office urged MCMC to take firm action over a TikTok account making fake, defamatory, and insulting content against the Agong.

It said the fake account, with the username “Sultan Ibrahim Ismail”, had posted images of the Agong alongside false claims suggesting that he “enjoys eating pork”.

This came less than a month after the circulation of a Facebook post featuring an edited image of a pig in royal attire.

The Selangor Royal Council condemned the post, saying the perpetrator had acted in a provocative manner that constituted a grave insult to the royal institution and could undermine harmony in the state’s multi-ethnic population.

In September, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil warned TikTok that it could face legal action for failing to address repeated concerns about content moderation on its platform.

He cited the case of the late TikTok influencer A Rajeswary, also known as Esha, who was a victim of cyberbullying.