Social media is now increasingly open and used by various levels of society. However, without good control, it can have negative effects, especially on minors. In this regard, the government has stipulated that children under 16 are not allowed to open personal social media accounts, but they can only use accounts managed by their parents.
According to the Minister of Communications, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, this ban is aimed at protecting young people from cybersecurity threats including the risk of online predators. However, children are still allowed to watch content such as on YouTube but they cannot have personal accounts because it opens up space for strangers to connect directly.
In addition, the government also emphasizes the role of parents in monitoring children's digital activities. Devices cannot be used as a substitute for caregivers because parents have the responsibility to ensure that children do not use gadgets for too long without supervision.
In the meantime, the government is currently implementing a 'regulatory sandbox' with social media platforms to introduce a minimum age limit of 16 years for registering new accounts. Malaysia has chosen a different approach from the 'Age Assurance' model in Australia by using laws related to MyKad as an additional security element for identity and age verification.
