Quick summary: Regulatory codes coming into effect on 1st June will require digital platforms in Malaysia to restrict account ownership for users under the age of 16 and enforce stricter content governance to combat escalating rates of cyberbullying, exploitation, and internet addiction. Tech companies face severe enforcement actions and financial penalties of up to 10 million Malaysian ringgit if they fail to embed systemic child safety by design principles, automated advertiser verification, and mandatory age verification mechanisms. This decisive legislative shift carries profound implications for public policy and mental health, establishing enforceable corporate accountability as a vital strategy to shield vulnerable minors from digital harms and mitigate the severe psychological trauma caused by unregulated online environments.
From 1st June, Malaysia will require digital platforms to include safeguards that limit account registration and ownership by those under the age of 16, while implementing stronger content governance on their platforms.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced the new rules on Friday 22nd May. The measures are aimed at providing age-appropriate protections and restrictions for high-risk features on online platforms, with a reasonable grace period given to service providers to complete verification processes and comply with the new requirements.
“The implementation approach under the codes remains outcome-based, allowing service providers the flexibility to adopt appropriate solutions that meet safety, privacy and legal requirements,” the regulator said.
The new rules form part of two regulatory codes under the Online Safety Act 2025: the Child Protection Code and the Risk Mitigation Code. These were developed after public consultations held from 12th February–31st March 2026, involving industry stakeholders, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders.
Under the Child Protection Code, platforms must embed child safety-by-design principles. This includes measures to reduce exposure to exploitative interactions and harmful content, effective reporting and response mechanisms, advertiser verification, and labelling of manipulated content where appropriate. Non-compliance with the Risk Mitigation Code could result in enforcement actions, including financial penalties of up to 10 million Malaysian ringgit. The government also plans age-verification for users in 2026.
Malaysia has in recent years stepped up scrutiny of social media companies after finding a sharp rise in harmful online content. Malaysian authorities consider online gambling, scams, child pornography and grooming, cyberbullying and content related to race, religion, and royalty as harmful.
Recent regulatory actions underscore the MCMC’s active oversight of major platforms. The regulator ordered TikTok to take action against offensive and defamatory content about Malaysia’s monarchy, and earlier this year briefly blocked access to the AI assistant Grok amid a global backlash over its use to create sexually explicit images of people without their consent. This week, the government also said it is considering an e-commerce ban for those under 16.
Countries around the world have been mulling social media bans for those under 16, even as tech firms have touted their own child safety features and warned of unintended effects in their bid to push back against more regulation. In March, Indonesia started enforcing a social media ban for under-16s to shield some 70 million children from the threats of online pornography, cyberbullying, and internet addiction. Australia and several European nations have introduced or are considering comparable age restrictions and safety requirements amid growing evidence of mental health impacts and online risks faced by children.
Experts said that while tech firms can highlight how they are already protecting children on their respective platforms, the debate has moved beyond safety tools to whether they can demonstrate systemic and enforceable measures.
In Malaysia, the focus remains on balancing protection with access, allowing for parental supervision while placing primary responsibility on platforms to prevent underage independent use.
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