KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is moving to bar children under 16 from accessing social media platforms and to tighten content controls for teenagers under 18, as part of the Online Safety Act 2025 (Act 866).
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil (pic) said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is currently developing 10 subsidiary regulations with a specific focus on protecting children online and ensuring age-appropriate content for young users.
“Under these subsidiary legislations, providers must ensure their platforms are inaccessible to users below 16 years old, while content delivered to those under 18 must be appropriate for their age,” he said in a written reply to Labis MP Pang Hok Liong.
Fahmi added that online service providers will also be required to offer effective parental controls in line with community guidelines or terms of use.
He said the government has taken a comprehensive approach to regulating harmful online content and safeguarding vulnerable groups, particularly children and teenagers.
This includes enforcing licensing requirements for Internet messaging and social media service providers that meet licensing thresholds.
He was responding to Pang’s question on whether the government intends to introduce laws to block or prohibit those under 16 from using social media such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
In response to Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Fahmi said providers will also be required to submit an online safety plan detailing how they would comply with the obligations under the Act.
“MCMC is also exploring practical methods for verifying users’ age and identity on online platforms,” he said.
Recognising that online safety is not the government’s responsibility alone, Fahmi added that the ministry, through MCMC, launched the Internet Selamat Campaign (KIS) in January to raise public awareness on online safety, particularly among children and families.
The campaign covers age limits for social media, cyberbullying, harmful content, digital footprints and fact-checking.
Fahmi also revealed in a written reply that over 1,500 online posts containing racist content have been flagged for removal this year, with more than two-thirds already taken down, in efforts to curb hate speech and protect national unity.
