Predators exploiting social media: Laws and platforms must do more to protect our children

 

THE recent case in Kota Kinabalu where a 30-year-old foreign national was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and two strokes of the rotan for raping a 15-year-old girl he befriended on TikTok is deeply disturbing and a stark reminder of the dangers facing our children online.

While we respect the decision of the Sessions Court, it must be noted that 10 years’ imprisonment is merely the statutory minimum under Section 376(2)(d) of the Penal Code.

Given that the accused deliberately cultivated a relationship with a minor over a month, exploited her vulnerability, and lured her away from home, a heavier sentence would have better reflected the gravity of the offence and the calculated betrayal of trust involved.

More importantly, the perpetrator should have been charged under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which was specifically enacted to address sexual crimes against minors, including grooming.

The victim was only 15 years old. Parliament passed this law to ensure minors receive enhanced protection beyond general Penal Code provisions.

Charging perpetrators under this specialised legislation would have sent a stronger and clearer message that crimes against children will be treated with the utmost severity.

This case accentuates the urgent need for tighter digital safeguards:

• Social media platforms must implement mandatory and robust age-verification mechanisms rather than relying solely on self-declared birthdates;
• Platforms should be legally required to deploy AI-driven monitoring systems to detect grooming patterns, suspicious messaging behaviour, and adult-minor interactions;
• Regulators must enforce compliance under the Online Safety Actmore aggressively, including imposing meaningful penalties on platforms that fail to act swiftly on reports involving minors;
• Nationwide digital safety education programmes should be strengthened to equip parents and teenagers with awareness of online manipulation tactics;
• Law enforcement agencies should expand specialised cybercrime units to enable faster intervention in cases involving minors and online contact.

The government’s proposal to prohibit social media accounts for those under 16 beginning in 2026 is a step in the right direction.

However, legislation alone is insufficient without solid enforcement, technological safeguards, and shared responsibility from platform providers.

Children are not miniature adults. They are impressionable and trusting. When an adult exploits that innocence, the law must respond firmly and decisively.

This case must serve as a warning that safeguarding children in the digital age requires stronger laws, stricter enforcement, and uncompromising accountability. 

 Datuk Dr Pamela Yong is the Wanita MCA Sabah chairperson and the MCA deputy secretary-general.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT. 

- Focus Malaysia.