Malaysia to Enforce Social Media Age Limit from July 2026 | KiddyNews

Malaysia aims to begin enforcing a minimum age of 16 for social media use as early as July, as part of efforts to protect children and adolescents from online harm better.

Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said the initiative is currently in a regulatory sandbox phase, allowing the government to test and refine the policy’s implementation before full enforcement.

Protecting Children Online

Teo said the move is being carried out under the Online Safety Act (OnSA), with ongoing discussions between the government and social media platform providers.

She explained that the sandbox phase is focused on identifying the safest and most effective method of age verification, while ensuring children’s privacy and data protection are not compromised.

“This is still the discussion and planning stage with platform providers,” she said, adding that the target is for implementation in the second half of the year, as previously announced by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

Age Verification Through Digital ID

According to Teo, the government is working towards requiring digital user identity verification (eKYC) across all social media platforms by the end of the second quarter of 2026. This measure is intended to support enforcement of the minimum age requirement for account registration.

For families, the policy aims to reduce children’s exposure to inappropriate content, online exploitation and harmful interactions, while encouraging safer digital environments for young users.

Cyberbullying Cases Still Under Review

When asked about a cyberbullying incident involving national badminton player Toh Ee Wei, Teo said she had not yet received confirmation from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on whether any official complaints had been lodged.

Early Schooling Assistance Expanded

Separately, Teo said the MADANI Government, through the Ministry of Education, has allocated RM800 million this year for Early Schooling Assistance (Bantuan Awal Persekolahan, BAP).

The assistance is expected to benefit about 5.2 million students nationwide, from Year One to Form Six.

In Johor alone, 586,153 students received aid amounting to RM87.9 million, while 58,264 students in the Kulai district benefited from RM8.7 million.

For parents, the continued support helps ease the financial burden of schooling, ensuring children can start the academic year with essential supplies and greater peace of mind.

Source:

Malay Mail  – “Malaysia aims to enforce social media minimum age from July, says deputy minister”

Thoughtfully adapted by KiddyNews. Keeping parents and educators informed with the latest ECCE developments from Malaysia and beyond.