Social Media Ban: According to the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) of Malaysia, the responsibility of enforcing the new rules will be directly on the online platforms.

(Social media is going to be banned in this country)

Social Media Ban: The Malaysian government is taking a major step to protect children online. Starting June 1st, new rules will come into effect in the country, making it difficult for children under the age of 16 to create accounts on social media platforms. The government wants to protect young users from dangerous and harmful content on the internet.

Responsibility will increase for social media companies.

According to Malaysia's Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the responsibility for enforcing the new rules will fall directly on online platforms. This means that social media companies will now have to ensure that underage children cannot easily create accounts.

Additionally, companies will be required to strengthen content moderation, respond to complaints expeditiously, and properly verify the identity of advertisers. Clearly labeling content that has been altered or tampered with will also be required. While companies will be given a certain amount of time to implement these rules, the length of time has not yet been determined.

The government's focus on child safety

Cases of online fraud, cyberbullying, and objectionable content involving children have risen sharply in Malaysia over the past few years, leading the government to tighten its oversight of social media platforms.

The government's most concerning threats include online gambling, scams, child exploitation, cyberbullying, and inflammatory content related to religion or race. Officials believe it's crucial to protect young children from such content.

The age verification system may start soon.

Malaysia is also preparing to introduce an age verification system for users this year. Under this, social media platforms may be required to verify users' ages. However, this is also considered a major challenge. If platforms require identification, people's privacy could be at risk. Meanwhile, questions have been raised about the accuracy of third-party age verification tools. It remains to be seen how Malaysia manages this balance.

Strictness is increasing in many countries of the world

Malaysia isn't the only country cracking down on children's social media use. Australia passed a law in 2024 that would almost completely ban social media access for children under 16.

Similar regulations have been implemented in several states in France, Britain, and the United States. In India, the Goa government has also ordered a ban on social media use by children under the age of 16.

Impact on companies like Meta, TikTok and YouTube

The new rules will also impact the world's largest tech companies. Companies like Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and X may now have to make changes to their systems and policies in Malaysia.

Southeast Asia, with its large number of young internet users, is considered a crucial region for tech companies. However, increasing government regulations are posing a new challenge for these companies.