Malaysia's Under-16 Social Media Ban Takes Effect June 1
Malaysia has started enforcing a new rule that bars children under 16 from creating social media accounts. As of June 1, social networks operating in the country must implement age verification methods to ensure users meet the minimum age requirement before they can open an account.
The regulation places the burden on platforms to verify the age of their users through methods of their choosing. This marks a notable step in the country's broader push to protect minors from online harms, including exposure to inappropriate content and cyber exploitation risks.
The policy applies across all major social media platforms serving Malaysian users. Companies that fail to comply with the age verification requirements could face regulatory consequences.
The move positions Malaysia among nations experimenting with hard age limits for social media access, an approach that has drawn both support for child safety and scrutiny over privacy implications.