Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia implemented rules banning children under 16 from having social media accounts from Monday. With this, Malaysia has joined the global effort to strengthen online safety measures for children using social media.
Under these rules, social media platforms will have to implement age verification systems and prevent social media users under the age of 16 from creating ‘accounts’. These rules will apply to platforms with at least 80 lakh users, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Companies that do not follow the rules may face fines of up to 10 million ringgit (2.5 million US dollars). However, if children somehow bypass this law and create a social media account, then no penalty will be imposed on their parents. The government said the measures are aimed at protecting children from harmful content, online harassment and features of platforms that are designed to encourage excessive use.
Limiting children’s access to social media in these countries
Other countries, including Australia, Brazil and Indonesia, have also imposed or announced age-based restrictions or requirements to limit children’s access to social media. Countries like Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are also studying or working towards developing similar measures.
The Communications and Multimedia Commission of Malaysia said the rules are not intended to prevent children from accessing the Internet or digital technology, but rather require service providers to address online threats and ensure age-appropriate safety measures.
Compliance with Malaysia’s new requirements
Technology companies have not yet clarified how they will comply with Malaysia’s new requirements. The Malaysian regulator said platforms will be given some time to implement the age verification system. Clara Koh, Meta’s public policy director for Southeast Asia, warned in April that Malaysia’s blanket ban on children under 16 could backfire and cause teens to move away from safe apps and into unregulated areas of the internet. He said Meta has introduced ‘teen accounts’ for people under 18 that limit contacts, time spent in front of ‘screens’ and access to inappropriate content.
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