In an effort to prevent minors from being exposed to dangerous content online, Malaysia’s communications regulator announced on Monday that the country has started prohibiting anyone under the age of sixteen from creating accounts on social media platforms.
As worries about the effects of social media on children’s health and safety grow, the Southeast Asian country joins an incresing number of nations enacting regulations to control access to internet platforms.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission announced on Monday that social networking sites, such as Facebook and Instagram from Meta Platforms, TikTok and Youtube from Alphabet, will have to verify users’ ages using official data.
Social media companies that don’t comply risk fines of up to 10 million ringgit ($2.5 million).
“The measure aims to increase responsibility among social media platforms, parents and guardians in protecting minors online; it is not intended to prohibit child users from the internet or to deny them access to technology”, the statement stated.
Social media companies will introduce age verification for current members over a six-month period.
After discovering a substantial increase in harmful internet content in recent years, Malaysia has increased its inspection of social media businesses and is clamping down on information that intentionally attempts to incite racial or religious tensions or criticizes the monarchy.
SOURCE: DAWN NEWS
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