KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 – Starting June 1, Malaysia will implement fresh regulations designed to shield young people from dangerous online material, according to an announcement Friday from the country’s communications regulator.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission announced that these new regulations will mandate online service companies to establish protective measures that restrict account creation and ownership for individuals younger than 16, while also enforcing enhanced content oversight across their platforms.
According to the commission, these initiatives target providing suitable age-based protections and limitations for high-risk elements found on digital platforms.
The regulatory body stated that online platform companies must establish “effective reporting and response mechanisms, advertiser verification measures and the labelling of manipulated content where appropriate.”
While the commission mentioned that online platforms will receive a grace period to put these measures into effect, officials did not reveal how long this transition period will last.
In recent years, Malaysia has increased its oversight of social media corporations following discoveries of a significant increase in dangerous online material. Malaysian officials classify online gambling, fraudulent schemes, child pornography and grooming, cyberbullying, and material concerning race, religion, and royalty as harmful content.
The administration intends to implement age verification for users within this year, mirroring comparable actions worldwide aimed at restricting social media access for young people.
