IPOH: The government is considering follow-up actions if social media platform operators in Malaysia fail to enforce age restrictions preventing children under 13 from using accounts.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said this decision followed the requirement for operators to register their service licences starting Jan 1 next year.
He said that Malaysia had no intention of mirroring Australia's law, which prohibits children and teenagers under 16 from using social media.
Instead, the government will evaluate how operators implement age limits, which currently restrict users under 13 from creating accounts.
"We'll allow platforms to set their own age limits and observe how well they enforce them. If they fail to do so adequately, we will consider additional measures," Fahmi said after attending the Perak Economic Outlook 2025 event at Casuarina Hotel @ Meru today.
Also present were Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Senior Advisor Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini.
Fahmi said the government aimed at balancing policy stability and transparency, ensuring platforms upheld safety without restricting freedom of expression.
He said that while there were calls from some members of Parliament for stricter laws, the federal government currently did not plan to adopt age restriction legislation like Australia.
Regarding the registration process, Fahmi said that the final phase was underway, with some platforms requesting clarifications.
He urged timely compliance to avoid strict legal actions.
The new licensing requirement, which applies to platforms with at least eight million users, is part of a broader effort to create a safer online environment.