Malaysia enforces social media restrictions for those under 16

Xinhua
01 Jun 2026, 12:15 GMT+10

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has started enforcing age verification requirements for the registration and opening of social media accounts on Monday to protect children under the age of 16 from online threats.

The move is being implemented in line with the enforcement of the Child Protection Code (CPC) and Risk Mitigation Code (RMC), which also start on Monday under the Online Safety Act 2025 by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), reported Bernama.

Under the new regulations, individuals under the age of 16 are no longer allowed to open any social media accounts, while those who wish to register must submit official identification documents such as MyKad, passport or MyDigital ID, an officially issued digital identity, to verify their age.

The requirement is not limited to new registrations. Existing account holders are also required to verify their identities to ensure they remain eligible to access the platforms according to the set criteria.

The enforcement of the CPC and RMC codes aims to strengthen the child protection ecosystem, as well as requiring digital platform providers to act more proactively in dealing with harmful content.

Service providers who fail to comply with the requirements under the RMC may face action, including fines or financial penalties of up to 10 million ringgit (about 2.5 million U.S. dollars).

The MCMC also requires platform providers to adjust their algorithms, including content recommendation systems, to reduce the risk of users being exposed to harmful material such as child sexual abuse material, pornographic content and financial scams.

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