Malaysia to ban social media use for children U-16

Malaysia has announced plans to prohibit children under the age of 16 from using social media, starting next year.

The decision was confirmed by the Minister of Communications, who said the government is reviewing age-restriction policies adopted in countries like Australia to safeguard youth from online threats such as cybercrime, financial fraud, and sexual exploitation.

The Minister expressed hope that social media companies would comply with the government’s directive and block account creation for users below 16 years of age.

Concerns over the negative impact of social media on the mental health of young users have been rising globally.

Earlier this month, Denmark also imposed restrictions on social media use for children under 15.

Last year, Australia passed a law prohibiting social media use by children under 16, and legal actions have been filed in the United States against social media companies regarding similar issues.