The Malaysian government plans to restrict children under the age of 16 from opening their own social media accounts as part of efforts to strengthen online safety for minors, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference after the “Sejahtera MADANI Welfare Programme: Sumbangan Ihsan Kasih Ramadan 2026”, Fahmi said accounts for children could still exist but must be managed by parents or guardians rather than by minors themselves.

“The key issue is who controls the account. We do not want children controlling the accounts themselves,” he said. “If the account is opened by parents, they will at least know if unknown individuals attempt to contact their children.”

According to the minister, the policy aims to reduce risks faced by minors online, including contact from cyber predators and other forms of digital exploitation. Authorities believe direct control by parents would help monitor interactions and limit exposure to harmful content or strangers.

Malaysia is currently working with social media platforms through a regulatory sandbox to implement the proposed minimum age requirement for new accounts. The initiative will test mechanisms for verifying users’ identities and ages before wider enforcement.

Unlike the age assurance system adopted in Australia, Malaysia intends to rely partly on national identification systems such as the MyKad to strengthen age and identity verification for online services.

Fahmi said children would still be able to view online content on platforms such as YouTube, but the restriction would prevent them from creating personal accounts that allow direct communication with strangers.

According to the Asia News Network, the move reflects growing concerns among Asian governments about the safety of minors online, particularly as social media use among children continues to rise across the region.

The minister also called on parents to play a more active role in supervising their children’s digital habits.

“Devices are not babysitters. Parents also have responsibilities to ensure their children’s online safety,” he said.

During the welfare programme, RM500 in financial assistance was also distributed to 150 asnaf recipients registered under the eKasih system in the Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency. Fahmi said the initiative aligns with the Madani government’s goal of balancing economic progress with social welfare to ensure that vulnerable communities are not left behind.

BOB Post