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Malaysia will start banning social media access for users under the age of 16 from next year. This move reflects growing international concern about the impact of digital platforms on children’s well-being and safety. This development marks a significant shift in online regulation and highlights increasing government efforts to protect young people from risks such as cyberbullying, scams, and harmful content.
Malaysia’s Plan to Restrict Social Media for Minors
Source: Govinsider
On Sunday, Malaysia’s Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that the government aims to enforce age restrictions on social media platforms, preventing anyone younger than 16 from opening accounts starting in 2026. The government is reviewing approaches used in countries like Australia to find effective ways to implement the ban.
According to Fahmi Fadzil, the main reason behind this ban is to shield children and teenagers from risks prevalent online. These include cyberbullying, financial scams targeting minors, and child sexual abuse content. The minister expressed hope that social media companies will comply with government regulations by next year to ensure safer online environments.
This announcement adds Malaysia to a growing list of countries enacting laws or regulations to control youth access to social media. Our research team observed that this trend stems from an increasing awareness of how social media affects young minds and mental health.
Read more on our article of, Australia’s Social Media Ban for Teens Under 16: What You Need to Know for the Good of Our Kids, published on October 21st, 2025, SquaredTech.
Global Response to Children’s Online Safety
Around the world, concern about children’s mental health worsened by social media use has led to legal actions and regulatory changes. Notably, companies such as TikTok, Snapchat, Google, and Meta Platforms face lawsuits in the United States for allegedly contributing to a mental health crisis among young users.
In countries like Australia, social media platforms are expected to disable accounts for users under 16 starting next month. This ban is significant and closely watched by regulators internationally as a model for other governments considering similar moves.
European countries including France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece are collaborating on a digital age verification tool designed to limit underage social media use. These efforts reflect growing international cooperation on protecting children online.
Indonesia, Malaysia’s neighbour, issued regulations earlier this year that require tech platforms to filter harmful content and strengthen age verification, although it did not implement a strict minimum age ban as Malaysia plans to do. This shows regional differences in approach but a shared goal of improving digital safety for youth.
Malaysia’s Increased Regulation of Social Media Platforms
Malaysia has intensified scrutiny of social media companies in recent years, driven by concerns over rising harmful content found online. According to government claims, this includes illegal activities such as online gambling and sensitive posts related to race, religion, and monarchy.
Since January, platforms and messaging services with more than eight million Malaysian users are required to obtain official licenses. This regulatory step gives authorities more control over content distribution and user behavior monitoring, reflecting a serious stance on digital governance.
It should be noted that Malaysia’s new licensing system combined with the upcoming under-16 social media ban is part of a broader government strategy to improve transparency and safety online. These measures also signal increasing government influence in overseeing digital platforms operating within the country.
What the Social Media Ban Means for Users and Platforms
For Malaysian children and teens, this ban will mean restricted access to popular social media networks until they reach 16 years of age. Platforms will have to implement stricter age verification processes to comply with the law. This shift may impact user growth statistics for these companies and require investment in safety technology.
The policy reflects a global effort to balance the benefits of social media with the need to protect vulnerable groups. While social media provides connection and information access, it also exposes young users to psychological stress, misinformation, and exploitation risks.
This Malaysian move is seen as a significant milestone in digital policy. It emphasizes the crucial role of governments in regulating social media to protect public health and safety, especially for younger generations.
Conclusion
Malaysia’s planned ban on social media use for anyone below 16 highlights the increasing importance governments place on regulating digital environments to protect children. Joining other countries with similar policies, Malaysia is preparing to enforce strict age restrictions starting next year.
At Squaredtech, we will continue monitoring how these changes affect online platforms and user safety. This development offers important insights into the future of social media regulation and the focus on safeguarding young users worldwide.
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