Malaysia bars under-16s from social media

KUALA LUMPUR, JUN 1 (AP): Malaysia on Monday began enforcing rules barring millions of children younger than 16 from owning social media accounts, joining a global effort to tighten online safety protections for young users. The rules require social media platforms to implement age-verification systems and block users under 16 from creating accounts. They apply to platforms with at least 8 million users, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Companies that fail to comply could face penalties of up to 10 million ringgit (USD 2.5 million). But parents whose children manage to bypass the law will not be penalised.
The government said the measures are aimed at protecting children from harmful content, cyberbullying and platform features designed to encourage excessive use. Other countries including Australia,Brazil and Indonesia have introduced or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children’s access to social media. Countries including Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are also studying or developing similar approaches.
Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Commission said the rules are not intended to prevent children from accessing the internet or digital technology. Instead it set expectations for service providers to address online harms and ensure age-appropriate safeguards are in place.