PETALING JAYA: Social media users under the age of 16 will have one month to transfer their content such as photographs and videos before the platforms restrict or suspend their accounts.
This is part of the transition period as Malaysia works towards providing a safe digital space for children under new online safety laws, effective yesterday, which banned those below 16 from registering with social media platforms.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said that age verification for existing social media users would be rolled out progressively over a period of up to six months by licensed service providers.
This move follows the enforcement of the Child Protection Code and Risk Mitigation Code under the Online Safety Act, which came into force yesterday.
Social media platforms are now required to adopt child safety measures and strengthen age-appropriate protections.
“They must ensure that only users aged 16 and above can register new accounts and access age-restricted features, with ages verified using government-issued documents or recognised international equivalents,” MCMC said in a statement yesterday.
Universiti Sains Malaysia Cybersecurity Research Centre director Prof Dr Selvakumar Manickam cautioned that age verification alone would not eliminate all risks associated with underage access to social media.
“Although this represents a meaningful step forward, it is not, on its own, sufficient,” he said.
Potential loopholes remain, such as the child using a parent’s or older sibling’s identity documents, operating through shared family accounts, or turning to platforms that fall outside Malaysia’s licensing regime.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and other geo-spoofing technologies could also allow users to bypass local restrictions.
“A child who is blocked from one platform can simply migrate to another platform that falls outside the licensing threshold,” he said.
Selvakumar also warned that requiring platforms to collect and process identity information could create new cybersecurity and privacy challenges if robust safeguards are not in place.
“Each platform that stores or processes MyKad or passport data becomes a potential target for data breaches. The risk of mass identity data being harvested, sold or misused is real and not hypothetical,” he said.
He suggested that policymakers and platforms consider technologies such as age estimation tools or cryptographic verification systems that can confirm a user is over 16 without disclosing personal information.
“Age verification technology creates serious privacy trade-offs. The challenge is finding the right balance between protecting children online and safeguarding the privacy of millions of legitimate users,” he said.
However, Selvakumar said Malaysia is moving in the right direction by placing responsibility on platforms instead of others such as the parents.
Attempts by The Star yesterday to register for a social media account as a 15-year-old were proven unsuccessful with verification codes required to complete the sign-up process either not received or the registration process unable to be completed.
However, one platform allowed access when the year of birth was entered as 2012 during the registration process.
“I can log into my Instagram so far,” said a 15-year-old girl, who wanted to be known as Victoria.
“Before this, I tried to reduce posting on social media and save my videos and turn my account private,” she said.
Victoria also shared that most of her friends could access their accounts which were registered by manipulating their age.
Assistant manager Mariya Lee, 35, said her 14-year-old daughter’s accounts, which were created before yesterday’s ban remained accessible.
“Her account was created by me so that I can supervise her activities. It works so far.”
