TikTok’s dismal security, a threat to Malaysian Indian female influencers

A growing wave of cyberbullying on TikTok is causing distress among Malaysian Indian female influencers and entrepreneurs, primarily due to the works of coordinated group that conducts harassment relentlessly known as “Amaley Ganjak.”

What began as a Facebook trolling circle has now shifted to TikTok, where the abuse continues unchecked. Victims allege that the trolls primarily target outspoken women and members of the Indian community. They have successfully exploited TikTok’s failure to detect Tamil-language violations.

This is despite announcements made by the government earlier this year that called for monitoring on vernacular languages.

Among those repeatedly targeted is entrepreneur and influencer Nila Linges, who faces ongoing defamation and harassment.

The attacks are allegedly led by Joseph Prakash, a man claiming to run an NGO and linked to the troll ID Amaley Ganjak.

He has been accused of amplifying abusive content online and of targeting Nila, her husband Linges, and others who previously supported the late Esha, a victim of severe cyberbullying who tragically took her own life.

In the case of Hema Subramaniam aka Swashna, Joseph Prakash reportedly approached her under the pretext of helping her in her cyberbullying case.

Then he betrayed her trust by releasing private conversations online, accompanied by misleading captions intended to damage her reputation.

He also spread defamatory accusations, claiming that Swashna and Global Human Rights Federation leader S Shashi Kumar would “kill people for their own benefit.”

Other public figures, including Panimalar Resources, SM Mogana, Divyah, and Gayatri Moorthi, have also faced similar harassment.

Victims report that the trolls use a network of fake and anonymous accounts — including @ag.aagarathi, @justicemen654, @ag.nanbah.return, @trump8928, @bob045919, @brotherhood.ag, @queenofnatural88, @agnadpu, @amalerganjakprincess, and @prakash.prakashonly1909 — to spread obscene and defamatory content and to reveal victims’ personal data, such as home addresses, identity card numbers, and family photos.

One of the individuals identified, Gomagen A/L Gopal @ Suren, has on several occasions admitted to running the Amaley Ganjak troll squad. Victims claim that despite numerous police and MCMC complaints, enforcement remains painfully slow, allowing the same perpetrators to continue their harassment with impunity.

The psychological toll on victims has been severe. Some have reported anxiety and depression, and it is understood that one 17-year-old victim was driven to suicidal thoughts due to the relentless online abuse.

While the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has taken steps to remove abusive accounts, perpetrators often reappear under new usernames. Victims say TikTok’s reporting system consistently fails to detect or act on these violations, particularly when the content is in Tamil — revealing a serious gap in the platform’s regional safety mechanisms.

Globally, TikTok has already been banned in India, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Somalia over concerns of data privacy breaches, harmful content, and public safety risks.

Critics warn that without stronger safeguards for Malaysian users — especially within the Indian and Tamil-speaking communities — the platform risks enabling more cases of digital hate and psychological harm.

As victims continue to speak out, they urge TikTok to take accountability and improve its safety features for Indian-language users, ensuring that cyberbullying, doxxing, and organized harassment do not go unpunished in Malaysia.