Malaysia banned children under 16 from registering on social networks — platforms will implement age verification
Malaysia has begun implementing regulations that prohibit millions of users under the age of 16 from creating social media accounts. The country has joined international initiatives to strengthen online child safety, reports Associated Press.
The new requirements apply to platforms with at least 8 million users in Malaysia, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. They are required to implement age verification systems and block registration of users under 16 years old.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission announced that age verification for existing accounts will be introduced within the next six months. Users identified as under 16 will be given one month to download or transfer data, including photos and videos, after which restrictions or other measures may be applied.
Companies failing to comply face fines of up to 10 million ringgit (about 2.5 million dollars). Parents will not be penalized even if children circumvent the ban.
The government explains the introduction of the rules as necessary to protect children from harmful content, cyberbullying, and platform mechanisms that encourage excessive social media use.
Similar restrictions have already been introduced or are being considered in several countries, including Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand, and South Korea.
The Malaysian regulator emphasized that the new rules are not aimed at limiting children's access to digital technologies in general but require platforms to enhance safety, monitor underage accounts, and counter harmful content.
At the same time, tech companies have yet to present a clear plan to comply with these requirements.
Meta's Director of Public Policy for Southeast Asia, Clara Koch, warned that such a ban could have the opposite effect and push teenagers toward less controlled and potentially dangerous online resources.
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