MALAYSIA today began enforcing age verification requirements for the registration and opening of social media accounts as a proactive measure to protect children under the age of 16 from cyber threats.
The move is being implemented in line with the enforcement of the Child Protection Code (CPC) and Risk Mitigation Code (RMC), which also began today under the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Under the new regulations, individuals under the age of 16 are no longer allowed to open any social media accounts, while those who wish to register must submit official identification documents such as MyKad, passport or MyDigital ID to verify their age, reported Bernama.
The requirement is not limited to new registrations.
Still, existing account holders are also required to verify their identities to ensure they remain eligible to access the platforms according to the set criteria.
The implementation puts Malaysia in line with global trends, such as those in Australia, in restricting access to social media to protect young users, following Indonesia, which enforced similar regulations on March 28.
However, Malaysia’s approach has its own advantages because it leverages specific legislation on MyKad and the MyDigital ID system as additional security elements to ensure more authentic and secure identity verification.
The MCMC, in an earlier statement, said the enforcement of both codes aims to strengthen the child protection ecosystem, as well as requiring digital platform providers to act more proactively in dealing with harmful content.
The two codes were developed through in-depth engagement sessions and public consultations with various stakeholders, including industry players and civil society organisations, since February.
Under the CPC, platform providers are required to adopt the safety by design principle, including limiting functions that risk exposing children to the threat of cyber exploitation, online grooming by digital predators and inappropriate content.
The RMC, meanwhile, requires service providers to implement comprehensive risk assessments, stricter content governance measures and a labelling mechanism for manipulated content to curb the threat of fraud and fake news.
Service providers who fail to comply with the requirements under the RMC may face stern action, including fines or financial penalties of up to RM10 million.
As part of efforts to curb online fraud, paid advertisements for goods or services will only be allowed if uploaded by advertisers or users whose identities have been verified based on official government documents.
The MCMC also requires platform providers to adjust their algorithms, including content recommendation systems, to reduce the risk of users being exposed to harmful material such as child sexual abuse material (CSAM), pornographic content and financial scams.
According to the commission, a reasonable implementation period will be given to all service providers to ensure that the process of integrating the age verification system runs smoothly without compromising user privacy.
ONSA, fully enforced on Jan 1, 2026, aims to ensure digital platform providers shoulder greater responsibility for detecting, preventing, and responding more swiftly to harmful content in cyberspace. – June 1, 2026
