KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) represents a major step in safeguarding children in the digital space, focusing on regulating harmful content and increasing accountability for online platforms.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said the law aims “to enhance and promote online safety in Malaysia by regulating harmful content and imposing clear duties and obligations on licensed service providers.”
Under ONSA, digital platforms are required to proactively manage risks by improving reporting systems, reinforcing safeguards, and implementing structured safety plans.
A central element of the law is the protection of minors, including restrictions on social media access for users under 16. Platforms are expected to introduce age verification measures to limit exposure to harmful content and interactions.
“These measures are designed to ensure that online services are safer by design and that child protection is embedded in how platforms operate,” MCMC told Scoop.
The commission acknowledged that age verification has limitations. Current systems, although widely used, may not fully prevent underage users from creating accounts.
“While the age assurance mechanism has various methods to indicate a user’s age, they may not be sufficiently robust to prevent users under-16 to register for and hold a social media account.”
“Age verification therefore plays a critical role in enabling effective enforcement of age-based restrictions,” MCMC added.
To strengthen compliance, MCMC is testing approaches through a regulatory sandbox to ensure enforcement is both effective and practical while protecting user privacy.
ONSA also targets online-facilitated sexual crimes, which often start through direct messaging and interactions on social media.
“Many cases of online grooming and exploitation begin through private messaging, direct contact or interactive features on social media platforms,” the commission said.
By restricting under-16s from independently operating accounts, the law seeks to reduce exposure to such risks and increase barriers against potential offenders.
“While this step alone will not eliminate online sexual crimes, it is an important preventive measure within Malaysia’s broader online safety framework,” MCMC added.
The commission emphasised that ONSA must work alongside enforcement, parental supervision, and digital literacy initiatives to be effective.
As online threats evolve, the law reflects a shift towards a preventive approach, placing responsibility not only on users but also on the platforms themselves.
Similar regulations exist internationally. In 2024, Australia restricted individuals under 16 from holding independent social media accounts, with platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and X facing fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (around RM136.68 million) for non-compliance.
Brazil requires children under 16 to be supervised by a legal guardian when using social media, linking accounts to parents for closer monitoring. Indonesia will implement a similar ban this month, targeting “high-risk” platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. The rollout begins March 28, with full compliance expected once all platforms meet the requirements.
Malaysia’s ONSA came into effect in January 2026. - April 2, 2026
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