Social media platforms operating in Malaysia will be required to implement age verification mechanisms to prevent individuals below the age of 16 from opening or owning social media accounts under new online safety regulations introduced by the government.
The Ministry of Communications said the requirement is part of the Child Protection Code (CPC) and Risk Mitigation Code (RMC) issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on May 22 and enforced from June 1 under the Online Safety Act 2025.
Responding to a question from Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan in the Dewan Rakyat, the ministry said the measure is aimed at protecting children from online harms including exposure to harmful content, exploitation and excessive use of digital platforms.
The ministry stressed that the initiative, known as “Tunggu 16” or “Wait Until 16”, is not intended to permanently prevent children from using social media but to delay account ownership until they reach an age considered more suitable for safe and responsible usage.
Under the CPC, licensed social media service providers must implement age verification rather than identity verification. The process must be supported by official documents such as MyKad, passports, birth certificates or other government-recognised records.
The ministry said providers must comply with personal data protection principles, including data minimisation and purpose limitation. This means only information necessary for age verification may be collected and the data must be disposed of once the verification process has been completed.
To prevent abuse, age verification cannot rely solely on self-declaration and must be backed by official records. Licensed providers are also required to adopt safety-by-design measures and age-appropriate protections for younger users.
The government added that enforcement action, including financial penalties, may be imposed on licensed service providers that fail to comply with the requirements under the CPC.
