Malaysia Implements New Law Restricting Social Media Use for Under-16s

Malaysia has implemented a new legal provision strictly regulating the use of social media by children under 16 years of age. The rule, which came into effect on Monday, states that children under 16 will not be allowed to open or operate personal accounts on social media.

Under the new provision, companies operating social media platforms will be required to mandatorily verify users' ages. Furthermore, the responsibility of not allowing account registration for children under 16 and identifying and preventing such accounts will lie with the respective companies.

This rule will apply to major social media platforms with millions of users, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Companies that do not comply with the rule can be fined up to 10 million Malaysian Ringgit.

The Malaysian government has stated that this step has been taken with the aim of protecting children from harmful content spread online, cyberbullying, mental pressure, and excessive use of social media. According to the government, various risks to children through digital media have been increasing in recent years, necessitating strict regulation.

However, parents will not face any legal action if children create accounts by adopting various means to bypass the rule. The government's focus is primarily on making social media companies accountable.

Malaysia's Communications and Multimedia Commission has clarified that this policy is not intended to keep children away from the internet but to create a safe and age-appropriate digital environment for them.

Malaysia has become one of the few countries in the world to take such a step. Previously, Australia, Brazil, and Indonesia have also implemented strict rules on children's social media access, while countries including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand, and South Korea are also moving forward with similar policy formulations.