As of June 1, 2026, Malaysia has put into effect new regulations that bar individuals younger than 16 years from creating social media accounts. This policy, part of the Child Protection Code under the Online Safety Act 2025, mandates significant changes for major social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has required these platforms to implement age verification measures to ensure compliance. This includes checking users' ages against government-issued identification or other competent authority documentation. New users will have to verify their age upon registration, while existing users might be prompted for verification to confirm they meet the age requirement.

The objective of this new regulation is to reduce children's exposure to potentially harmful content, unsafe interactions, and platform features deemed unsuitable for young users. In a statement, the MCMC emphasized that these measures are designed to provide age-appropriate protections and enhance online safety for children.

As part of the regulations, social media companies will also be expected to establish clear reporting mechanisms for harmful content and prevent access for users who fail age verification. Failure to comply with these guidelines could result in penalties of up to 10 million Malaysian ringgit (approximately $2.3 million).

The move aligns Malaysia with a growing trend seen in other nations, such as Australia and Indonesia, which have introduced similar restrictions aimed at safeguarding young users online. However, some advocacy groups, including Article 19, have criticized the blanket ban, arguing that it could limit children's access to the digital world instead of providing them with safe avenues to engage online.

In response to growing concerns over online child safety, Malaysia's government aims to balance safety measures with the recognition of children's rights to access technology and information. The implementation of the new rules will involve a grace period for social media platforms to align with the requirements, although the specific duration has yet to be announced.