MCMC demands full accounting from meta over WhatsApp account suspensions and hacks

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has called for a thorough explanation from Meta in response to numerous complaints regarding suspended, inaccessible, or unauthorized access to WhatsApp accounts. The regulatory body revealed that they have received 92 such complaints thus far. On September 25, MCMC formally requested information from Meta, followed by discussions with the tech giant on September 28.

Meta has been given until October 2 to provide a response. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil had requested clarification on Meta's actions concerning hacked and deactivated WhatsApp accounts, though he has yet to receive the latest updates from the discussions between MCMC and Meta. The commission has confirmed that account takeover/hacking and account blocking are two separate issues.

Accounts hijacked by unauthorized parties may be misused for fraudulent activities, spam, or violating WhatsApp's terms of service, potentially leading to account blocking by the platform.