Malaysia bans social media accounts of children under 16

KULA LAMPUR: Malaysia has banned the creation of social media accounts for children under the age of 16 to protect children from the negative effects of social media and harmful online content.

Under the new rules, age verification has been made mandatory on all major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

According to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, the new regulations have started to be implemented on Monday. Under the rules, social media companies will have to verify the age of users creating new accounts through official documents and records. If a user is found to be under the age of 16, they will not be allowed to create an account.

Officials say that the aim of this measure is not to remove children from the internet or modern technology, but to ensure a safe digital environment for them. Social media platforms, parents, and guardians will have to fulfill their responsibilities to protect minors more effectively.

Strict action will be taken against companies that violate the new rules, and if a social media platform fails to implement age verification regulations, it can be fined up to 10 million ringgit, or about 2.5 million US dollars.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission also said that the process of verifying the age of existing children’s social media accounts has begun. For this purpose, social media companies have been given a period of six months to complete the verification of all accounts.

The government is also taking measures specifically against online content that promotes racial or religious tension or causes incitement against state institutions and the monarchy.