Malaysia's social media account ban for under-16s kicks in on Jun 1, but questions remain

Malaysia has implemented a ban on social media accounts for children under 16, joining a global trend to enhance online safety for young users. The new rules, effective June 1, require social media platforms with at least 8 million users in Malaysia, including giants like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, to establish age-verification systems. Users identified as under 16 will be blocked from creating accounts and will have a month to transfer their data before restrictions are applied. Companies failing to comply face penalties up to RM10 million (US$2.5 million). The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) stated the ban aims to protect children from harmful content, cyberbullying, and addictive platform features. However, the move has drawn criticism, with concerns raised about data protection and potential surveillance. Clara Koh, Meta's director of public policy for Southeast Asia, cautioned that the ban might push teenagers toward unregulated online spaces. While some Malaysian families, like Saravanan Ganasan and Jayaradha Veerasamy with children aged 12 and 15, approve of the measure, others have differing views.

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Malaysia's under-16 ban could backfire by driving teenagers away from protected apps and into unregulated corners of the internet.