Malaysia enforces ban on social media accounts for children younger than 16

13 hours ago

Malaysia enforces a ban on social media accounts for children under 16, aiming to protect them from harmful content, cyberbullying, and compulsive design features.
The rules apply to platforms with at least 8 million users (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), requiring age-verification systems and penalties up to $2.5 million for non-compliance, but parents are not penalized if children bypass the law.
Other countries (e.g., Australia, Brazil, Indonesia) have similar restrictions, with many studying approaches, as global pressure grows to address social media's impact on children's mental health and safety.
Critics warn the ban could drive teens to unregulated internet areas, and concerns exist over data privacy from government ID requirements and the law's effectiveness without parent penalties.
Platforms are given a grace period to implement changes, but technology companies have not yet detailed compliance plans, despite regulator calls for safety-by-design features.

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