TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Malaysia is likely to follow the steps of Australia to ban social media for kids under 16 years old. Australia is set to enforce the policy starting December 10.
The Malaysian Minister of Communications, Fahmi Fadzil, said the ministry is considering to implment age restriction systems on social media platforms. This system will prohibit users under the age of 16 from creating accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, and similar social media platforms.
"We hope by next year that social media platforms will comply with the government’s decision to bar those under the age of 16 from opening user accounts," said Fadzil, as quoted from the review by Tech Crunch published on Monday, November 24, 2025.
Australia and Malaysia are implementing age verification systems for social media users to protect children from exposure to harmful content. France, Denmark, Italy, and Norway are also working on similar regulations.
In the United States, 24 states have enacted age verification laws. Utah became the first state to require app stores to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent for underage users who want to download apps.
The Online Safety Act in the UK, which came into effect in July 2025, requires social media providers and other online services to block children's access to harmful content. If violated, social media operator entities will be subject to substantial fines. The UK also requires age checks for high-risk content, such as content related to self-harm or eating disorders, in order to protect users under 18 years of age.