Individuals under 16 years of age will be banned from registering social media accounts starting 2026, according to Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil yesterday. According to Fahmi, this is in line with the Online Safety Act 2025 which will come into effect starting January 1.
Social media platforms will have to activate their eKYC system to verify the identity and age of users opening accounts. Identity verification will be done using MyKad, passport or MyDigital ID. This will make Malaysia the second country after Australia to ban social media access for users under 16 years of age. Australia will enforce this measure starting December 10.
It is not yet known what the penalty will be if a platform fails to verify the age of users or users violate this ban in Malaysia. In Australia, a fine of A$49.5 million (~RM 132 million) will be imposed if this happens.
Enforcement by the Ministry of Communications is also still unclear, although it will start in just 5 weeks. What will happen to the social media accounts of users under the age of 16 in Malaysia is also still a question mark. This is an important question because this year social media platforms are supposed to apply for a license with MCMC to operate but only TikTok, WeChat and Telegram have done so so far.
