Malaysia has started barring children under 16 from registering new accounts on major social media platforms as part of a wider effort to protect minors from harmful online content.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said on Monday that platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube must now verify users’ ages using government-issued records. The rule applies to new registrations from Monday, while age checks for existing users will be carried out over the next six months.
Social media companies that fail to follow the requirement could face fines of up to 10 million ringgit, or about $2.5 million.
Malaysia said the move is not meant to stop children from using the internet or block them from technology. Instead, the government says it wants social media platforms, parents, and guardians to take more responsibility for keeping minors safe online.
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