Ofure Akhigbe
Malaysia is considering barring children under 16 from signing up for social media accounts starting next year, as part of efforts to strengthen online safety for minors.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Sunday that the government is studying how countries such as Australia have implemented age-based online restrictions.
“We hope that by next year, social media platforms will comply with the government’s decision to bar those under 16 from opening social media accounts,” Fahmi said in a video published by The Star. He added that cooperation between authorities and parents was essential to ensuring a safer internet environment.
Malaysia has tightened oversight of major social media and messaging platforms in recent years, including a regulation that took effect in January requiring services with more than eight million users to obtain a licence. In October, several MPs backed the proposed under-16 ban, urging the government to develop effective age-verification mechanisms.
A survey released in September by the Ipsos Malaysia Education Monitor 2025 found that 72% of respondents agreed that children’s social media use should be restricted.
Australia will require platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to remove users under 16 from December 10, with heavy penalties for non-compliance. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced a similar bill, while the Dutch government this year advised parents not to allow children under 15 to use apps such as TikTok and Snapchat.
Meanwhile, five EU countries — Denmark, France, Greece, Italy and Spain — are testing an age-verification app designed to prevent children from accessing harmful online content.