TikTok is ramping up its defence against rampant online fraud in Malaysia, expanding its #ThinkTwice digital literacy initiative through a multipronged, collaborative approach. This effort reflects a critical understanding: with the constant evolution of cybercriminal tactics, online safety has become a shared responsibility, requiring continuous, concerted efforts across both the public and private sectors.
Launched in partnership with key government agencies—including the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC)—the campaign is designed to equip millions of users with accessible, multilingual tools to identify and combat the evolving threats of scams.
The #ThinkTwice Hub Now Available in Multiple Languages
The most practical development in TikTok’s escalated efforts is the expansion of its in-app knowledge hub, which is now fully accessible in English, Bahasa Melayu, Mandarin, and Tamil. This crucial multilingual availability ensures that vital scam prevention tips are accessible to a broader audience nationwide, effectively closing the language barriers often exploited by fraudsters.
Malaysians can easily access this central resource by searching the #ThinkTwice hashtag or other relevant keywords directly within the TikTok app. The hub is structured around four main pillars of information, providing a comprehensive guide to proactive defense. These pillars include scam prevention tips using publicly available tools, a detailed guide to TikTok’s Community Guidelines, an overview of the platform’s safety features, and a list of helplines to local authorities for immediate support.
This effort goes beyond a static database. TikTok is deploying a dynamic approach to spread awareness, utilizing search banners to highlight safety messages, leveraging short educational videos created by the platform, and commissioning content from influential local creators who can translate technical security advice into relatable, engaging content. This strategy positions the platform as a vital educational partner, using its strength in short-form video to strengthen the nation’s digital defense ecosystem.
Operational Integration with Government Agencies
The collaboration with governmental agencies is not merely for endorsement; it is a vital operational integration designed to amplify the reach of established national resources. The Director of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) of the PDRM, Dato’ Rusdi Mohd Isa, highlighted that a significant portion of scams, which currently include investment scams, phishing, phone scams, job scams, love scams, and loan scams, can be prevented if the public uses available tools.
To this end, TikTok is directly promoting the PDRM’s Semak Mule portal, a critical resource that allows the public to verify if a bank account or phone number has been flagged in connection with past fraudulent activities. This directs the platform’s young, digitally native audience toward a reliable, operational tool for real-time verification.
The MCMC is similarly leveraging the partnership to bolster its own verification resources. The collaboration aims to amplify the reach of Sebenarnya.my, the MCMC’s official portal for tackling misinformation, and the Artificial Intelligence Fact-check Assistant (AIFA). AIFA is a sophisticated, AI-powered chatbot accessible 24/7 through the portal and WhatsApp, which uses algorithms and machine learning to match user queries with verified sources, providing instant, confident fact-checking. By promoting these reliable platforms, the initiative helps users bypass the often-complex, time-sensitive process of self-verification.
The “Pause, Prevent, Protect” Framework
To simplify the necessary behavioral changes, the #ThinkTwice initiative is built around the clear, actionable mantra of Pause, Prevent, and Protect.
- Pause urges users to take a moment to reflect and refrain from activities that violate TikTok’s Community Guidelines and local laws. This addresses the common scam tactic of pressuring targets to act quickly to miss out on a deal or avoid a threat.
- Prevent focuses on being proactive: this means deploying TikTok’s built-in safety features and habitually utilizing the public authority tools, like the Semak Mule portal, to identify red flags before engaging.
- Protect calls on the community to take collective ownership of safety by actively reporting potentially violative and suspicious activities, contributing to a safer environment for everyone.
Firdaus Fadzil, Head of Public Policy at TikTok Malaysia, noted that continuous education is essential given the fluidity of cybercriminal modus operandi. Ultimately, the expansion of the #ThinkTwice campaign, with its multilingual accessibility and deep integration with Malaysian law enforcement and communications agencies, is TikTok’s clearest contribution to strengthening the national digital defense ecosystem, translating technical safety requirements into accessible knowledge for millions of users.
