KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 10): Malaysia’s plan to ban social media access for children under 16 beginning next year could create new risks, deepen inequalities and drive young users to unsafe online spaces, a civil society group report said.
"Emerging concerns from Australia state that the bans are largely unworkable and risk harming rather than protecting children from online harms," Centre for Independent Journalism’s (CIJ) 2025 Freedom of Expression report said, noting challenges emerging from Australia’s age-restriction model.
Australia, the first country globally to adopt an under-16 social media ban, has struggled with the practical and ethical challenges of age verification, according to the report. Internal documents from its eSafety Commissioner acknowledge that no country has successfully implemented such systems without compromising user privacy or exposing children to new risks.
The report highlighted that the same structural issues — including unproven technology, intrusive data collection and the danger of pushing children into unregulated online spaces — apply to Malaysia. The blanked social media ban may push adolescents to VPNs, fake accounts, as well as accessing unregulated and unsafe social media platforms.
Malaysia's planned nationwide ban — aimed at protecting children from cyberbullying, grooming and online exploitation — may rely heavily on mandatory e-KYC age verification, using documents such as MyKad or MyDigital ID. Platforms will be required to enforce age checks by mid-2026.
"While the government’s intention to protect children is legitimate and widely shared, the proposed ban raises serious structural and rights-based concerns that extends beyond mere child safety," CIJ said.
The watchdog warned that Malaysia’s regulatory and technological environment is poorly equipped to implement such a sweeping policy without causing unintended damage to children’s safety, rights and digital development.
The watchdog had in the same report also highlighted that Malaysia may still not be ready to implement mandatory electronic Know-Your-Customer (e-KYC) verification for all social media users due to structural weaknesses in data protection and recurring large-scale breaches.
It said Malaysia lacks a comprehensive data protection regime covering government agencies, while Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's powers have expanded through recent Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 amendments.
The watchdog cites global research and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which emphasise that digital participation is essential for social learning, self-expression and community-building. A blanket ban risks hindering digital literacy development and widening inequalities between young people with varying levels of offline support.
Children without supportive home environments or safe community spaces — including those in rural areas — may be disproportionately affected, losing valuable channels for information and connection.
"In this regard, Malaysia’s proposed ban stands in contrast to several international best practices rooted in rights-based governance," the report said.
The watchdog recommends that Malaysia adopt global best practices such as the UK’s Age-Appropriate Design Code, which focuses on privacy-first design, safety-by-default and moderate age assurance — rather than full identity verification or prohibition.
"The code requires platforms to prioritise the privacy of children by default, minimise the collection of data, and design proper online environments that are age-appropriate and centred on safety," CIJ said.
The watchdog further added that as the digital space becomes inseparable from education, social participation, and identity formation among youths, "policies must prioritise creating safer and empowering ecosystems online, as well as rights-based frameworks" — rather than blanket prohibitions that would lead to the entrenchment of surveillance and a shrinking civic space both for children and the public.