Malaysia plans to prohibit social media use for individuals under the age of 16 starting next year, joining a growing number of countries restricting access to digital platforms over child safety concerns.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said that the government is reviewing age-restriction mechanisms used in countries such as Australia, citing the need to protect youths from online harms including cyberbullying, financial scams, and child sexual exploitation.
“We hope by next year that social media platforms will comply with the government’s decision to bar those under 16 from opening user accounts,” Fahmi told reporters.
Concerns over social media’s impact on children’s health and safety have intensified globally, with major platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, Google, and Meta, operator of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, facing lawsuits in the United States over their alleged role in a mental health crisis among minors.
Australia plans to deactivate accounts registered to users under 16 next month as part of a broader teen ban, a move closely watched by international regulators. Meanwhile, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece are jointly testing a template for an age verification app.
Indonesia earlier proposed setting a minimum age for social media users, but later introduced a lighter regulation requiring tech platforms to filter harmful content and implement stronger age verification measures.
Malaysia has also intensified scrutiny of social media platforms in response to a rise in harmful content, including online gambling and posts related to race, religion, and royalty.
Platforms and messaging services with over 8 million Malaysian users are now required to obtain a license under a regulation that came into effect in January.
