KUALA LUMPUR: Parents must adopt a “zero trust” approach to digital media and actively monitor their children’s online activities to protect their families from cyber threats, says Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
Speaking at the 2026 Safe Internet Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) programme on Saturday (Aug 8), Fahmi urged parents to treat unverified information received via platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram as false until confirmed.
“If we receive information that cannot be verified, we should not simply forward it. Verify it with the relevant authorities first,” he said, suggesting that schools and PIBGs establish local verification networks.
Fahmi warned that cybercriminals increasingly exploit fear to manipulate victims into handing over funds or device access. To illustrate the pervasive nature of these crimes, he shared that his own mother—a retired senior public servant—fell victim to an impersonation scam in 2021 after being contacted by individuals claiming to be from Bukit Aman and the MACC.
“Scammers typically create fear before offering a supposed solution, making victims more likely to follow their instructions,” he explained, warning against clicking suspicious links that deploy malware to compromise devices.
Turning to child safety, Fahmi highlighted existing risks such as cyberbullying and sexual grooming. He reminded parents of measures enforced since June 1 that prevent children under 16 from creating personal social media accounts through electronic know-your-customer (e-KYC) age verification. While supervised access for educational purposes remains permitted, standalone accounts expose minors to online predators.
Fahmi also called on parents to activate parental controls on family devices, noting that platforms like TikTok have reduced human moderators in favour of AI systems.
He added that upcoming regulatory frameworks—including the Child Protection Code—will hold social media platforms accountable. Non-compliant platforms face legal action and heavy fines once the codes are fully operational.
Fahmi raised concerns over a growing trend: children forming emotional attachments to artificial intelligence chatbots.
“AI is not a friend; AI is a tool. It cannot replace human relationships, and its information can be inaccurate or outdated,” he stressed, urging parents to supervise how their children interact with increasingly human-like AI systems.
“Faster, cheaper, and more widespread internet access must not come at the expense of online safety,” Fahmi concluded.
