SEREMBAN: Malaysia will continue with its regulatory approach to children's use of social media instead of imposing a blanket ban, despite several countries moving to prohibit access to such platforms for certain groups of minors, says Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
The Communications Minister said the approach is supported by two codes of practice under the Online Safety Act - the Child Protection Code and the Risk Mitigation Code - which require social media platforms to restrict access for users under the age of 16.
He said the implementation of the two codes, which came into force on June 1, provides the government with a sufficient framework to protect children from online risks without having to impose a complete ban.
"With these codes in place, those aged below 16 are not allowed to open accounts," he told reporters after accompanying Pakatan Harapan candidate for the Sikamat state seat, Nor Azman Mohamad, on the campaign trail at the Seremban City Council food stalls near Stadium Paroi here Wednesday (July 22).
He was commenting on France's move to pass a bill banning children under the age of 15 from using social media, making it the first European Union country to introduce such an age restriction.
The Bill has received the backing of French President Emmanuel Macron and is now awaiting gazetting before becoming law.
The move follows Australia's decision last year to become the first country to ban social media use for individuals under the age of 16, while the United Kingdom has also announced similar restrictions that are expected to take effect next year.
Elaborating, Fahmi said social media platforms are currently working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to implement the two codes and have requested some time to comply fully with all the requirements.
He said that should any platform fail to enforce the age limit, the government has the authority to take appropriate action.
"As a matter of policy, the law allows us to take action if platforms fail to implement the minimum age requirement of 16," he said.
Fahmi said the government's objective is not to ban the use of social media, but to regulate digital platforms more effectively to reduce the risk of online harm. - Bernama
