In a strong move against the influence of major social media companies, Malaysia on Monday introduced a law barring children under the age of 16 from signing up on popular social media platforms, paving the way for online safety for minors.
The new restrictions enforced from June 1 form part of the country’s Online Safety Act and apply to major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube.
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Law applies to these companies
As mandated under the law, social media companies boasting more than eight million users in Malaysia will be required to verify the age of users before allowing account registration. Government-issued identity cards or passports will be required for the users to sign up on the aforementioned platforms. The country’s communications regulator clarified that users below the age of 16 will no longer be permitted to register for social media accounts, placing the responsibility squarely on tech-companies to enforce compliance.
Platforms provided six-month period for verification of existing users
With the ban coming into effect, social media firms have been granted a transition period to completely implement the new requirements. Existing account holders will also be required to undergo age verification over the next six months.
Besides age restrictions, the legislation has introduced a broader set of obligations aimed at curbing potential online harms. Platforms must strengthen content-reporting mechanisms, verify advertisers and clearly label manipulated or altered content where necessary. Companies which fail to comply with the same will face penalties of up to 10 million Malaysian ringgit (roughly Rs 23.80 crore).
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According to the Malaysian government, the measures are designed to create a safer digital ecosystem for young users amid growing concerns over cyberbullying, online exploitation, scams and exposure to harmful content.
Notably, Australia emerged as the first country to introduce comparable restrictions for users under the age of 16. Following its footsteps, Indonesia also implemented age-based restrictions across major social media services.
Several European nations, including France, Spain, Denmark, Greece, Norway and Turkey are also exploring stricter digital safety frameworks for minors.
On the other hand, while India has rolled out several digital governance and online safety regulations in recent years, currently there is no nationwide prohibition preventing children under 16 from using social media applications.