Listing concerns over child safety, the country’s communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Sunday the government is reviewing ways to impose age restrictions for social media use.
“We hope by next year that social media platforms will comply with the government’s decision to bar those under the age of 16 from opening user accounts,” he told reporters, according to a video posted online by The Star.
He added: “I believe that if the government, regulatory bodies and parents all play their roles, we can ensure that the internet in Malaysia is not only fast, widespread and affordable, but most importantly, safe, especially for children and families.”
The policy arrives as Malaysia continues to hold its position as a digital infrastructure hub in Southeast Asia, with its purpose-built technology ecosystems remaining very attractive to global industry giants.
Data centre projects are ongoing in the country by global technology giants like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and most recently Vantage Data Centers in Johor.
Alongside its AI and technology boom, however, Malaysia has reported a rise in harmful content online. Since January 2025, platforms and messaging services with more than eight million users in the country now need to obtain a license.
Under-16 restrictions could ultimately require enhanced cooperation between internet service providers and platform operators, inevitably raising questions over how the legislation can be enforced between different infrastructure layers.
Malaysia will incorporate the ban into its new Online Safety Act 2025, which was passed to regulate harmful content and put stronger responsibilities on online service providers. It comes into effect 1 January 2026 and will raise the minimum social media age from 13 to 16.
Other countries have also started to look at a national model for online age restrictions for children. Australia is the main example, as social media platforms are ready to deactivate accounts registered to users under 16 next month. Effective 10 December 2025, the restrictions will impact platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.
First announced by prime minister Anthony Albanese in September 2024, the policy is the most comprehensive in the world and is being watched by regulators as a benchmark.
Countries like France, Spain, Denmark, Greece and Italy are also testing a template for an age verification app.
Arguably, the regulatory landscape is changing amid a global push to regulate the safety, accountability and transparency of online services. Likewise, governments are being encouraged to work more with technology companies to confront issues like privacy, deepfakes, scams and child safety.
The impact of social media on children has become more of a concern since the COVID-19 pandemic, with companies like Meta facing a lawsuit in the US for harming mental health.
Reuters yesterday reported that Meta shut down internal research into the mental health effects of Facebook after finding “causal evidence” that its products harmed users’ mental health.
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