• Malaysia seeks to restrict access to social media for those under 16
• Implementation expected to begin next year

Malaysia’s Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced on Sunday that the government aims to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms starting next year, as part of efforts to enhance online safety for minors.

Fadzil said during a press conference following a seminar that platform providers will be required to implement electronic identity verification (eKYC) procedures by 2026.

“We expect all platforms to be ready to implement these measures by next year,” he said.

He added that Malaysia will monitor policies in other countries, including Australia, which is set to become the first nation to prohibit those under 16 from using platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.

Fadzil noted that this measure falls under broader protections within the Online Safety Act, which will take effect on January 1, 2026.

He urged parents to encourage outdoor activities for their children instead of screen dependence, stressing the importance of supervising minors’ digital device use.

Malaysia previously decided in October to raise the minimum age for social media users to 16.