KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Malaysia has begun enforcing age-verification requirements for registering and opening social media accounts as a proactive measure to protect children under 16 from cyber threats, starting today.
The move is being implemented in line with the enforcement of the Child Protection Code (CPC) and Risk Mitigation Code (RMC), which also began today under the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Under the new regulations, individuals under the age of 16 are no longer allowed to open any social media accounts, while those who wish to register must submit official identification documents, such as MyKad, passport, or MyDigital ID, to verify their age.
The requirement is not limited to new registrations; existing account holders must also verify their identities to remain eligible to access the platforms according to the set criteria.
The implementation puts the country in line with global trends, such as Australia's, in restricting access to social media to protect young users, and follows Indonesia, which enforced similar regulations on March 28.
However, Malaysia’s approach has its own advantages, as it leverages specific legislation on MyKad and the MyDigital ID system as additional security measures to ensure more authentic and secure identity verification.
The MCMC had said that the enforcement of both codes aims to strengthen the child protection ecosystem and requires digital platform providers to act more proactively in dealing with harmful content.
The two codes were developed through in-depth engagement sessions and public consultations with various stakeholders, including industry players and civil society organisations, since February.
Under the CPC, platform providers are required to adopt the safety by design principle, including limiting functions that risk exposing children to the threat of cyber exploitation, online grooming by digital predators and inappropriate content.
Meanwhile, the RMC requires service providers to implement comprehensive risk assessments, stricter content governance measures and a labelling mechanism for manipulated content to curb the threat of fraud and fake news.
Service providers who fail to comply with the requirements under the RMC may face stern action, including fines or financial penalties of up to RM10 million.
As part of efforts to curb online fraud, paid advertisements for goods or services will be allowed only if uploaded by advertisers or users whose identities have been verified using official government documents.
The MCMC also requires platform providers to adjust their algorithms, including content recommendation systems, to reduce the risk of users being exposed to harmful material such as child sexual abuse material, pornographic content, and financial scams.
It said that a reasonable implementation period will be given to all service providers to ensure the integration of the age verification system proceeds smoothly without compromising user privacy.
The ONSA 2025, fully enforced on January 1, aims to ensure digital platform providers shoulder greater responsibility for detecting, preventing, and responding more swiftly to harmful content in cyberspace.
