4-12-2025 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia is moving to bar children under the age of 13 from accessing social media platforms and will impose stricter content controls for users under 18, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil confirmed in a parliamentary reply. The measures are part of 10 subsidiary laws currently being drafted under the upcoming Online Safety Act 2025 (Act 866).
The Minister stated that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is developing the regulations, which will compel platform providers to ensure their services are inaccessible to users below 13. Furthermore, content delivered to teenagers under 18 must be age-appropriate. This comprehensive approach is designed to safeguard vulnerable users and regulate harmful online material.
The new rules, will also mandate that online service providers—who must now be licensed under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998—must offer effective parental control tools and submit an Online Safety Plan detailing how they meet the Act’s obligations. MCMC is also exploring practical methods for age and identity verification on digital platforms.
The Online Safety Act 2025, which was gazetted on May 22, is anticipated to come into force on January 1, 2026. Industry stakeholders and parents will be watching closely for the finalization of the subsidiary laws and the technical mechanisms platforms will use for age enforcement.
