Starting next year, Malaysians under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to sign up for social media accounts.

According to a report by The Star, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the plan is part of broader protections under the Online Safety Act, which will come into force on January 1. He also reiterated that this initiative is part of the Madani government's efforts to improve children's online safety.

Image Credit: Freepik

Previously, the Cabinet had suggested setting the minimum age for social media users at 13, but this was raised to 16 in October.

Fahmi added that Malaysia is now reviewing how this policy will be implemented, with one option being the use of eKYC to verify user age during registration. This means users may soon need official documents such as MyKad or passports to create a social media account.

“We expect all platform providers to be ready to implement eKYC by next year,” he said.

For now, Fahmi urged parents to encourage outdoor activities for young children instead of screen time. He also emphasised that parents should supervise their children's gadget use.

Featured Image Credit: Malaysiakini, Utusan Malaysia