As Australia’s ban on social media use for users under 16 looms, it appears Malaysia now plans to implement a similar system starting next year.
The country’s communications minister, Fahmi Fadzil, reportedly said the administration is considering systems for implementing age restrictions on social media platforms, barring users under 16 years old from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, Reuters reported.
“We hope by next year that social media platforms will comply with the government’s decision to bar those under the age of 16 from opening user accounts,” the report quoted Fadzil as saying.
Malaysia would join a growing list of countries that are implementing age restrictions or verification measures to protect children from the risks associated with social media usage. Australia has already passed a law that will come into force on December 10, mandating social media sites to deactivate accounts belonging to users under 16.
France, Denmark, Italy, and Norway are working on similar age-restriction measures for social media platforms, and in the U.S., 24 states have so far enacted age-verification laws. Utah became the first U.S. state to require app stores to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent for minors downloading apps.
The U.K.’s Online Safety Act also came into effect in July, mandating social media and other online platforms to block children’s access to harmful content or face huge fines. The U.K. requires strong age checks for high-risk content, like self-harm and eating disorder content, to protect users under 18.
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