Malaysia to Follow Australia With Social Media Ban for Children Under 16

Australia became the first country in the world to pass legislation on a social media ban for children, which will come into effect on Dec. 10.

Two Malay girls check a mobile phone at a fabric installation decoration at Kwai Chai Hong, the Chinatown area in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on March 30, 2021. Vincent Thian/AP Photo

Malaysia plans to ban social media accounts for children under 16 in 2026, a government minister said on Nov. 23, joining Australia and some other countries in enacting laws to protect children from harm online.

Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government expects all social media platforms to implement ID verification, according to local English-language newspaper The Star. The new system will require users to verify their age using official documents such as passports or MyDigitalID.