Malaysia joins a regional push to curb online harms by banning social media sign-ups for anyone under 16 as of June 2026, under the Online Safety Act 2025 and the Child Protection Code, with penalties for non-compliance.

Licensed platforms with at least eight million Malaysian users must verify age through government records and block under-16 sign-ups, facing penalties up to RM10 million and possible suspension for non-compliance.

The policy, effective June 1, 2026, includes a six-month grace period for implementing age verification, using government records such as MyKad or passports.

The move is part of a national strategy to protect minors online, aiming to reduce under-16 access to major social networks.

Across the region, enforcement gaps persist as some platforms exhibit loopholes and partial compliance, with concerns about verification, privacy, and free expression raised by rights groups.

Practical mechanics require platforms to verify ages with government records within six months and suspend non-compliant under-16 accounts; existing under-16 users may be affected during the transition.

Some platforms demonstrate automatic restrictions for underage accounts, but loopholes allow limited access, underscoring ongoing enforcement challenges.

Experts recommend robust, independent age verification, transparent audits, and using penalties to fund digital literacy and offline youth programs to offset reduced online access.

Advocates urge verification to be strictly age-based, with government-audited processes and strong data privacy safeguards to avoid sharing ID data with platforms.

Teens report feeling cut off from digital spaces used for learning and socializing, highlighting a loss of a ‘digital third place’ as schools restrict device use.

Parents express mixed views—safety-focused but concerned about effectiveness and practical challenges, while calling for better physical youth infrastructure to provide alternatives to online spaces.

So far, only Facebook has fully complied, suspending underage accounts and offering a 180-day appeal window, while platforms like TikTok and YouTube show varying levels of enforcement and continue to face loopholes.