Malaysia will implement a nationwide social media ban for individuals under 16 years old starting in 2026, with Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announcing that the cabinet has approved this measure to protect young people from cyberbullying, financial scams, and child sexual exploitation.
The government is currently studying age restriction mechanisms employed by Australia and other nations, exploring the potential use of electronic identity card or passport verification systems to confirm users' ages before allowing account creation on social media platforms.
Since January 2025, Malaysia has required social media and messaging platforms with at least 8 million local users to obtain government licenses, mandating these companies to implement age verification procedures, content safety measures, and transparency rules as part of stricter state oversight of digital spaces.
This policy positions Malaysia alongside Australia—which will enforce the world's first comprehensive social media ban for under-16s on December 10 with penalties reaching 50 million Australian dollars for non-compliant platforms—and joins European nations including France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece that are jointly developing age verification app templates.
Minister Fadzil emphasized that successful implementation requires collaborative efforts between government regulators, technology companies, and parents to ensure Malaysia's internet remains not only fast and affordable but most importantly safe for children and families, expressing hope that social media platforms will voluntarily comply with the under-16 account restrictions by next year.
