“Effectively regulate social media to protect children instead of imposing blanket ban”

 

MALAYSIA plans to impose a ban on social media for users under the age of 16 starting from next year, joining a growing list of countries that have taken steps to limit access to digital platforms due to concerns about child safety.

On Sunday (Nov 23) Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the measure forms part of the government’s broader effort to strengthen online safety for minors through new verification rules.

According to Fahmi, the Cabinet had approved the proposed restriction, which aims to protect minors from online harm, including from scams, cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content.

The measure, expected to be enforced next year, will compel social media platforms to adopt the new age limit whereby all platforms will be mandated to deploy eKYC to authenticate a user’s age during account creation and that such verification must rely on official identification, including MyKad, passports and MyDigital ID.

Datuk Fahmi Fadzil (Image: Bernama)

Commenting on this issue, Amnesty International Malaysia’s Freedom of Expression Campaigner Kiran Kaur noted that a blanket ban is not the answer to legitimate concerns about the harmful effects of social media on children and young people.

“This issue demands a more nuanced approach, including the targeted regulation of online platforms to protect children’s privacy and personal data while prioritising their human rights,” she noted.

“The government should implement safeguards against algorithm-driven amplification of harmful content and default profiling, rather than restricting young people’s ability to connect with others and seek out information.”

According to Kiran, it is critical that policy responses towards this consider the benefits social media use can offer children, including the role of platforms in promoting their rights to expression and  access to information.

She stressed that instead of a total ban, approaches that do not fully restrict children’s access to social media must be sought, thus recognising these platforms as mediums for young peoples’ learning and communication if used safely and regulated properly.

“The responsibility to intercept how algorithms and tailored customisation is harming children lies with social media platforms and government regulators. The focus should be on how digital spaces are not safe-by-design rather than shutting out young people completely,” she remarked.

The effects of social media on children’s health and safety have become a growing global concern, with companies including TikTok, Snapchat, Google and Meta Platforms—the operator of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp—facing lawsuits in the United States for their role in driving a mental health crisis.

In Australia, social media platforms are poised to deactivate accounts registered to users younger than 16 under a sweeping ban for teenagers that is being closely watched by regulators around the world. The Australian law takes effect on Dec 10.

Similarly, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Greece are also jointly testing a template for an age verification app.

Meanwhile, Indonesia said in January it planned to set a minimum age for social media users, but later issued a less stringent regulation requiring tech platforms to filter negative content and impose stronger age verification measures. ‒  Focus Malaysia