As Malaysia goes full speed on its journey to becoming a fully digital society, one has to wonder how we can stay safe in the digital realm, where safety and trust constantly come into question for users. In an effort to make the digital world less chaotic and more secure for all users, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had something in store on 21 and 22 July!
MCMC hosted the International Regulatory Conference (IRC) 2026, a platform for dialogue on the next digital era and regulatory practices to keep citizens safe and empowered online.
Officiated by the Minister of Communications, YB Dato’ Seri Fahmi Fadzil, under the theme “Shaping the Next Digital Era: Regulation, Resilience and Trust”, this event was the convergence point of global regulators, industry leaders, and experts who tackled economic and regulatory issues within the communications and multimedia sectors.
Here are the key takeaways from the first day (21 July) of the event under the 4 Dialogue sessions:
- Dialogue 1: Online Safety by Design: Platform Accountability and Child Protection in an Age of User Vulnerability
- Dialogue 2: Sovereign Data, Empowered Citizens: Building Trust, Privacy and Consumer Rights in Malaysia’s Digital Future
- Dialogue 3: Regulatory Aspiration vs. Economic Reality: Contours of Policy Successes and Shortfalls
- Dialogue 4: The Proliferation of Artificial Intelligence and the Humanities – Its Vulnerabilities, Capabilities and Interdisciplinary Landscape
Dialogue 1: Thinking about the children
Many parents think about how to get their children ready to explore the internet, but this Dialogue asks: “What can we do to make the internet ready for children?”
The session, titled “Online Safety by Design: Platform Accountability and Child Protection in an Age of User Vulnerability,” explored a fundamental question: How can digital platforms balance safety with freedom of expression? In the 90-minute discussion, panellists argued that responsibility can no longer rest solely on parents and educators. Saskia Blume, UNICEF Malaysia Chief of Child Protection, advocates for a “safety by design” approach, citing that we can’t just dump all the responsibility on parents and teachers.
The takeaway? Protecting kids online shouldn’t be through silencing them but through building systems where safety and freedom of expression can actually coexist. It’s a team effort: governments, platforms, and all of us need to share the responsibility.
Dialogue 2: Data is the new gold
The second Dialogue spotlights data governance with the session titled “Sovereign Data, Empowered Citizens: Building Trust, Privacy and Consumer Rights in Malaysia’s Digital Future.”
The gist is that your data is gold, and you should have a say in how it’s used. Therefore, this session looks into how Malaysia can build greater trust while making sure citizens like us actually feel empowered, not exploited. Think about it: every time you sign up for an app or make an online purchase, you’re handing over personal info. The question is, who’s protecting that data from being weaponised for scams or dubious activities? In this regard, the panellists agree: citizen-centric handling of data depends on the collaboration between public and private sectors to keep our info secure.
The Chief Risk Officer of TNG Digital, Foo Yeong Jin, summed it up nicely: “When it comes to data, resilience is not built on just one solution, but on a trusted framework where privacy, security and accountability come packaged together.“
Dialogue 3: Value is the No. 1 policy
The third Dialogue of the day is called “Regulatory Aspiration vs. Economic Reality: Contours of Policy Successes and Shortfalls”, and goes deep into what constitutes good policymaking.
Good intentions don’t always translate to good outcomes when it comes to regulation. Acknowledging this, the experts, consisting of members from ISIS Malaysia, PEMANDU, and even from within MCMC, took the time to advocate for regulatory practices based on the value they may create for society. (Quality, not quantity!)
The sweet spot from pulling regulation off just right? The policies in place will support innovation (so Malaysia doesn’t get left behind) while protecting consumers (so we don’t get scammed left and right)! It’s all about evidence-based, adaptable rules that actually make sense in the real world.
Dialogue 4: Making AI work for us
Of course, no conference about the digital landscape is complete without mentioning AI, and that’s what the fourth Dialogue touches upon: “The Proliferation of Artificial Intelligence and the Humanities – Its Vulnerabilities, Capabilities and Interdisciplinary Landscape”.
Needless to say, AI is inescapable now, from your Spotify recommendations to ChatGPT helping you compose more professional-sounding emails at work.
In light of how ubiquitous AI has become, this Dialogue session addresses how ethics, culture, and interdisciplinary collaboration are needed to keep AI responsible, inclusive, and beneficial to society. Just like how we wonder what we can use AI for, we should also stop to ask how we can use AI the “right” way. The discussion ponders how entire industries and societies can be transformed by AI, but concludes that it must be done under the guidance of ethical responsibility, human values, and cultural understanding. Interdisciplinary collaboration (in other words, “people from different fields working together”) is key to making sure AI doesn’t become unhinged.
Where to go from here
IRC 2026 has evolved into a major platform for experts in the local and international communities to cooperate, and the MCMC hopes the takeaways will have a wider impact to help Malaysians navigate the online world more safely without impeding opportunities for discovery and advancement. The goal is to achieve a digital world where innovation thrives, resilience is built into every system, and trust is the foundation for a safer, better-connected future for all of us.
To quote YB Dato’ Seri Fahmi Fadzil, “We do not want to give the signal that we are against technology or investment. But we want technology and investment that not only bring benefits, but also prevent harm.”
