TANJUNG MALIM: Malaysia’s Online Safety Act 2025 marks a significant step in strengthening digital protection, particularly for children and young people.
Introduced to address cyberbullying, exploitation, scams, and harmful content, the Act reflects the government’s commitment to building a safer digital ecosystem.
For Persons with Disabilities (PWD), especially youth with disabilities, the Act carries deeper implications. Beyond protection, it presents an opportunity to ensure that digital spaces remain inclusive, empowering and accessible.
Many young people with disabilities rely on digital platforms not only for entertainment but for connection, learning and self-expression. However, they are also vulnerable to online harassment and discrimination. Cyberbullying can have profound psychological effects, particularly for individuals already navigating social stigma offline.
By strengthening platform accountability and requiring improved content moderation, the Online Safety Act 2025 helps reduce exposure to harmful behaviour. For PWDs, safer online environments are essential. Protection is not a restriction – it is the foundation for meaningful participation.
Digital participation plays an important role in building self-confidence and social belonging among youth with disabilities. Online platforms allow individuals to connect with peers who share similar experiences, form support networks and express their identities.
For neurodivergent individuals, digital communication can offer a more structured and less pressured environment. For those with mobility challenges, online platforms remove physical barriers to social interaction.
In Malaysia, many young PWD use social media to:
• Build friendships and peer communities
• Share lived experiences
• Advocate for disability rights
• Explore identity and relationships
For some, these spaces are the first where they truly feel accepted and understood.
Balancing protection and participation
Recent measures, including age restrictions for users under 16 and enhanced verification systems, aim to protect minors from digital harm. While these steps are important, implementation must remain accessibility-sensitive.
If verification systems are not inclusive, they may create unintended barriers. Automated moderation must also be mindful of neurodivergent communication styles to avoid misinterpretation.
The success of the Online Safety Act 2025 depends on striking a careful balance: safeguarding users while ensuring that digital participation for persons with disabilities is not unnecessarily restricted.
Malaysia’s commitment to inclusion under the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 should guide digital governance. When implemented thoughtfully, the Online Safety Act 2025 can:
• Reduce online abuse targeting OKU
• Promote responsible digital behaviour
• Encourage safer digital literacy
• Support meaningful and inclusive online engagement
Ultimately, safety and inclusion should go hand in hand. For persons with disabilities, secure digital environments are essential to building confidence, meaningful relationships and a genuine sense of belonging in today’s connected world.
Dr Hasrul Hosshan is the director at the Centre for Inclusive Research on Community and Disability, at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris’ Human Development Faculty.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.
