News & Reviews:   social media malaysia

Effective from 1 June 2026, the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has announced the implementation and enforcement of the Child Protection Code (CPC) and the Risk Reduction Code (RMC), thereby banning children under 16 from using social media. So, what should you know about it?

In case you missed the news over the weekend, Malaysia is set to introduce stricter online safety measures beginning 1 June, requiring social media users to verify their age using official government-issued documents. The move comes under new regulations introduced through the Online Safety Act 2025 by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Recently, Malaysian Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have sent an open letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to protest against the proposed ban on social media for individuals under 16 years of age and the mandatory use of e-KYC for all users in Malaysia. That said, what should you know about it?

As we reported before, Malaysia is preparing to introduce stricter controls on social media access for younger users, with new regulations targeting those under the age of 16. Now, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the measures are expected to be implemented by June or July 2026, pending final review and industry feedback. It's a month earlier than the initial projection.

Malaysia is planning to introduce a minimum age requirement of 16 for social media use, with enforcement expected in the second half of 2026. The proposal highlights a growing push to improve online safety, especially for younger users.

In early January, we reported that MCMC planned to ban under-16s from social media this year. We have another new update today, as news sources report that the government is preparing to implement a minimum age requirement for social media accounts, which is expected to come into effect as early as July 2026, subject to completion of ongoing preparatory work.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications is considering a review of the criteria used to determine how many users a social media platform must have before it qualifies as a licensed service provider under national regulations. The move comes amid ongoing concerns linked to harmful content generated by AI tools such as Grok.

One of the biggest news stories to kick off this week was the Malaysian government's decision to ban Malaysian teens under 16 from creating social media accounts. That being said, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching also confirmed that parents will not be penalised if their children under 16 create or use social media accounts.

We have reported on this news before, but it seems that the possibility has turned into reality. The Malaysian government has announced a target of 2026 for rolling out a ban that will prevent children aged under 16 from creating social media accounts.

 As we reported before, the Malaysian government is reviewing a proposal to require electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) identity verification for all social media users. According to Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, the move aims to strengthen online safety and accountability as part of Malaysia’s broader digital governance framework.