Malaysia has taken a bold step to ban Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for children under the age of 16, effective in 2026. Australia was the first country to impose a ban on social media for children under 16, and Malaysia is now the second country to do so.
Fahmi Fadzil, the Minister of Communication, has confirmed this move, stating that the government is aiming to protect young users from growing online risks such as exploitation, harassment, and cyberbullying.
According to the proposed law, minors will not be allowed to create or use existing social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. The government has initiated drafting legislation that will make underage usage of social media illegal and enforce stricter responsibilities on parents as well.
Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated that this decision comes after rising concerns about the impact of social media on children’s mental health. He also stated that they will direct companies to deploy stronger age-verification tools.
It is anticipated that the upcoming law will also introduce penalties for parents who knowingly allow their underage children to use social media platforms after the ban. Malaysia’s decision follows a broader trend of restricting children’s access to social media. Australia has already announced a similar rule set to take effect in December 2025.
The Malaysian officials stated that they want to align with such international efforts to reduce exposure to harmful online content and improve digital safety for minors.
The Malaysian government is working with tech companies, child safety groups, educators, and policy experts. The multi-stakeholder engagement will help the legislature to finalise the framework before the ban is implemented in 2026.
The government will also empower authorities to monitor compliance and ensure all social media platforms follow mandatory age-verification standards. Minister Fahmi Fadzil further stated that proactive involvement from tech companies is important for making the internet safer for young users.
Malaysia’s plan to ban social media for children highlights global concerns about how social media affects the mental health of young people, exposing them to cyberbullying and inappropriate content.
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
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