PETALING JAYA: While experts welcome the new Child Protection Code (CPC) as a critical shield for minors, they warn that its success hinges on aggressive enforcement, parental vigilance and solving massive data privacy risks.
Consultant paediatrician and child disability activist Datuk Dr Amar Singh HSS said stronger safeguards for children online are necessary but cautioned that age verification measures involving sensitive personal data must be handled carefully.
“The concern with robust age verification is that platforms must collect more highly sensitive data. These become high-value targets for hackers,” he said in an interview yesterday.
Dr Amar noted that age verification could require children or parents to upload identification documents such as a MyKad, a passport or facial biometrics.
“We do not have a track record locally of good security with several data breaches,” he said, adding that the responsibility now falls on social media operators to ensure strong data security measures are in place.
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“Yes, the onus is on social media operators to ensure data security, but who will monitor the quality of their security?” he said.
Cybersecurity specialist Fong Choong Fook said the framework is a positive move, noting that enforcement should not rely solely on platform operators.
“Apart from regulations, there should also be a task force or watchdog to supervise execution by the platform operators,” he said.
The CEO and founder of LGMS Bhd also warned that younger users could still find ways to bypass restrictions.
“The younger generation is quite creative,” he said, adding that parental guidance remained crucial in ensuring children used social media responsibly.
He said electronic Know-Your-Customer (eKYC) verification could potentially strengthen enforcement but acknowledged that such measures also raised privacy concerns involving the sharing of official documents with social media providers.
Fong also urged the government to strengthen education to help shape responsible social media habits among younger users.
“We often overlook the importance of restructuring the education system in shaping the correct values among the younger generation to use social media platforms safely,” he said.
Early Childhood Care and Education Council Malaysia founding president Datuk Dr Chiam Heng Keng said age-based restrictions alone would not automatically make teenagers responsible social media users.
“Parents still play a critical role in helping children develop self-regulation, decision-making skills and healthy digital habits at a young age,” she stressed.
Chiam also raised questions about whether sufficient monitoring and accountability mechanisms are already in place to ensure platforms comply effectively with the framework.
“I wonder whether the monitoring procedures are in place and what the accountability measures of the platforms are,” she said.
