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AUTHORITIES have begun enforcing mandatory age verification requirements across major social media platforms, marking a significant escalation in the government's efforts to strengthen child protection and impose greater accountability on technology companies operating in the country.
The new requirements took effect today with the implementation of the Child Protection Code (CPC) and Risk Mitigation Code (RMC) under the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA), creating a new regulatory framework designed to make digital platforms safer for children and young people.
Under the regulations, licensed social media service providers must ensure that only users aged 16 and above are permitted to create new accounts and access services deemed appropriate for their age group.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), in a statement on Monday, said age verification must be conducted using government-issued identification records or equivalent official documentation recognised by Malaysian authorities, placing legal responsibility on platform operators to verify users' eligibility before granting access.
The measures apply to major licensed social media services operating in Malaysia, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, reflecting growing concerns among policymakers over online harms affecting minors.
MCMC added that the Child Protection Code introduces a child-safety-by-design approach that requires platforms to embed safeguards directly into their services and strengthen age-appropriate protections for younger users.
The regulator described the move as a major milestone in Malaysia's digital safety agenda, aimed at addressing risks such as cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, grooming, harmful content exposure and other threats increasingly faced by children in online environments.
While the restrictions take immediate effect for new users, existing account holders will undergo a phased age-verification process over the next six months.
Users identified as being below the minimum age requirement will be given one month to download, transfer or preserve personal content, including photographs and videos, before any restrictions, suspensions or other enforcement actions are implemented by the respective social media platforms.
Alongside the Child Protection Code, the Risk Mitigation Code introduces broader obligations requiring social media companies to conduct risk assessments, strengthen content moderation systems, implement user safety controls and assume greater responsibility for mitigating online harms.
The new framework significantly expands the duties of platform operators, shifting regulatory expectations from reactive content management towards proactive risk prevention and user protection.
MCMC stressed that all licensed social media service providers are expected to comply fully with their statutory obligations under ONSA and implement effective age-verification mechanisms within the stipulated timeframe.
The commission warned that any failure to comply with the new requirements would be treated seriously and could result in regulatory intervention or enforcement action under Malaysian law.
Beyond enforcement, MCMC said it would continue collaborating with industry stakeholders, digital platforms, civil society organisations and the wider public to foster a safer and more responsible online ecosystem.
The introduction of mandatory age verification and comprehensive platform accountability measures represents one of the most consequential reforms of Malaysia's digital landscape in recent years, placing child welfare and online safety at the centre of the country's evolving internet governance strategy. - June 1, 2026
