Malaysia is considering implementing age restrictions on social media platforms, potentially barring users under 16 from creating accounts on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This move aligns with a global trend towards safeguarding minors online, with countries like Australia, France, and the U.K. enacting similar measures.
Malaysia’s communications minister, Fahmi Fadzil, revealed the government’s plans to protect children from potential harms associated with young users on social media. By introducing age restrictions, Malaysia aims to ensure a safer online environment for its youth.
If implemented, social media companies will need to comply with the government’s regulations by preventing underage users from accessing their services. This follows similar actions taken by Australia, which recently passed a law to deactivate social media accounts of users under 16, and several European countries and U.S. states that are considering or have already enacted comparable measures.
Source: TechCrunch