KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia plans to ban social media accounts for people under 16 starting in 2026, joining Australia and a growing number of countries pushing tighter digital age limits for children.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said Sunday the Cabinet approved the move as part of a broader effort to shield young people from online harm like cyberbullying, scams and sexual exploitation. He said the government is studying approaches taken by Australia and other countries, and the potential use of electronic checks with identity cards or passports to verify users’ ages. He did not say when exactly the ban will be enforced.
“I believe that if the government, regulatory bodies, and parents all play their roles, we can ensure that the Internet in Malaysia is not only fast, widespread and affordable but most importantly, safe, especially for children and families,” he said.
Since January, major social media and messaging platforms with at least 8 million users in Malaysia are required to obtain a license as part of a broader tightening of state oversight over digital platforms. Licensed platforms must implement age verification, content-safety measures and transparency rules, reflecting the government’s push for a safer digital space.
Australia’s parliament enacted the world’s first ban on social media for children that will begin Dec. 10, setting the minimum age at 16. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube as well as message board Reddit and livestreaming service Kick face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts.
Australia’s move is being closely watched by countries that share concerns about social media impacts on young children.
Denmark’s government also announced earlier this month plans to ban access to social media for anyone under 15, though details on how the measures would be enforced remain unclear. Norway is also moving forward with a proposed law that would set a minimum age limit of 15 for accessing social media platforms.
Malaysia to ban social media for children under 16 next year
https://arab.news/5decj
Malaysia to ban social media for children under 16 next year
- The Cabinet approved the move as part of a broader effort to shield young people from online harm like cyberbullying, scams and sexual exploitation
- The South-East Asian country joins Australia and a growing number of countries pushing tighter digital age limits for children
Foreign press group opposes further Gaza access delay
- Since the beginning of the Gaza war, Israeli authorities have prevented foreign journalists from independently entering the Strip
JERUSALEM: The Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem on Thursday said it “firmly opposed” another delay to the Israeli supreme court’s decision on its petition demanding independent access to the Gaza Strip.
Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023 following Palestinian militant group Hamas’s unprecedented attack, Israeli authorities have prevented foreign journalists from independently entering the devastated territory.
Israel has instead allowed, on a case-by-case basis, a handful of reporters to accompany its troops into the Palestinian territory under Israeli blockade.
On November 24, the supreme court granted the state a further 10 days to respond to the appeal, but on Thursday extended the deadline again to December 21, giving Israel time to present a plan on foreign media access to Gaza.
“This is an urgent appeal. Continuously preventing coverage — every minute, every hour, every day — seriously undermines the ability of international media to carry out their mission, and infringes on the fundamental rights of billions of users,” the FPA said in a statement.
The association said it was the ninth time the court agreed to grant an extension, and believed it was “clear that the state’s goal is to delay filing their preliminary response as much as possible.”
The FPA represents hundreds of foreign journalists working for international news organizations in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
