With Australia preparing to enforce a ban on social media for those under 16, Malaysia is reportedly set to introduce a comparable policy beginning next year.
According to Reuters, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated that the government is exploring ways to enforce age limits on social media, which would prevent individuals younger than 16 from accessing platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Fadzil was quoted in the report expressing hope that by next year, social media companies will adhere to the government’s directive to prohibit those under 16 from creating accounts.
If implemented, Malaysia would join a growing number of nations adopting age limits or verification systems to shield minors from the dangers linked to social media. Australia has already enacted legislation, effective December 10, that obliges social platforms to remove accounts belonging to users under 16.
Countries such as France, Denmark, Italy, and Norway are also developing similar age-related restrictions for social media, while in the United States, 24 states have passed laws requiring age verification. Utah was the first state in the U.S. to mandate that app stores confirm users’ ages and secure parental approval before minors can download apps.
The United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act, which took effect in July, compels social media and other online services to restrict children’s access to harmful material or risk substantial penalties. The law also demands robust age verification for high-risk content, including material related to self-harm and eating disorders, to safeguard users under 18.
