Malaysia plans to ban access to social media for individuals under 16 years of age starting in 2026. This measure aims to strengthen child safety in cyberspace. The government will require all platform providers to implement identity verification. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated that the country is studying the most suitable methods to ensure that minors cannot create social media accounts. This initiative comes amid growing concerns over the rise in cyberbullying incidents, following the death in July of a 13-year-old girl who was a victim of bullying at her school. In recent years, Malaysia has increased its scrutiny of social media companies in response to what authorities consider a rise in harmful content. In April, Fahmi met with representatives of TikTok and Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) and urged them to provide a plan to combat the proliferation of harmful content and protect minors under 13 from the influence of platforms.
