Govt Advises Malaysian Parents to Ban Children Under 16 From Using WhatsApp

Malaysian parents are being urged not to allow children under the age of 16 to use communication apps such as WhatsApp.

Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said that while the platform is undoubtedly useful, it can also expose children to cyberbullying and inappropriate content that may negatively affect their wellbeing.

Image Credit: Astro Awani

"I'm also concerned that some communication platforms, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, use end-to-end encryption, allowing certain groups to be created without the public's knowledge."

"These groups are not public but private, and sometimes bullying issues begin or spread through such groups," he said, as reported by Berita Harian.

Over 47,000 cases detected since January

Fahmi added that parents play a crucial role in monitoring their children's online activities and ensuring they understand the risks of interacting with strangers and sharing personal information on the internet.

Image Credit: Criminal Defence Lawyers AU

From January until 27 October, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) detected and received requests to remove 47,412 pieces of cyberbullying-related content.

Of those cases, 81% involved TikTok, making it the platform with the highest number of cyberbullying reports.

Fahmi also revealed that Facebook accounted for 12% of the cyberbullying content identified by MCMC.

According to the minister, all of the cases were detected following complaints lodged by members of the public.

Previously, the government introduced a ban preventing children under the age of 16 from registering for or maintaining their own social media accounts. The measure aims to protect minors from threats such as cyberbullying, predatory algorithms and data exploitation.

Malaysia is not the only country to introduce such legislation. Australia became the first country to ban children under 16 from accessing social media in December 2025.

Featured Image Credit: NST, The Star