As of 1 June 2025, social media platforms in Malaysia must verify that you are at least 16 years old before allowing you to create an account. Advertisers running sponsored posts on these platforms will also need to prove their identities before publishing.
Both requirements fall under the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA), which the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is now enforcing through two new codes: the Child Protection Code (CPC) and the Risk Mitigation Code (RMC).
How Social Media Age Verification Works
If you’re signing up for a new account on a licensed social media platform, you must now be at least 16 to register. The verification process will check your age against government-issued records, such as an identity card or passport, or equivalent documents recognised by the Malaysian government from other jurisdictions.
If you already have an account, the rollout will happen gradually. Platforms have up to six months to verify the ages of their current account holders. Anyone found to be under 16 will be given one month to download or transfer their data, including photos and videos, before the platform restricts or suspends the account.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said parents are largely supportive of the measure, citing concerns around cyberbullying, sexual abuse, and child grooming.
Sponsored Ads Will Need Identity Verification Too
Under the RMC, every advertiser on a licensed social media platform, whether an individual or a registered company, must undergo identity verification before being allowed to publish paid content.
Sponsored posts that use the faces and names of public figures to promote dubious investments, financial scams, and online gambling have been difficult to police. Platforms like Google, Facebook, and TikTok already run their own advertiser verification processes, but the RMC now makes identity verification a statutory requirement under Malaysian law. Teo said enforcement has been difficult because it has not always been possible to trace who paid for a particular advertisement.
Google, separately, introduced its own Financial Services Verification requirements in April 2026, requiring advertisers of financial products to prove they are authorised by regulators such as Bank Negara Malaysia before running ads.
Which Social Media Platforms Are Affected
Both the CPC and RMC apply to social media platforms classified as licensees under ONSA, defined as those with more than eight million Malaysian subscribers. The confirmed platforms so far are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
MCMC has warned that non-compliance will be treated seriously and may lead to regulatory and enforcement action.
How This Changes Your Experience Online
If you’re over 16 and already have an account, your experience of using social media may not change much right away. Over the next six months as platforms roll out age verification for existing accounts, you can expect a verification prompt, likely requiring you to provide an IC number or passport details.
For parents, the immediate change is that children under 16 will no longer be able to open new social media accounts on these platforms. If your child already has an account, the platform will eventually flag it during the verification rollout and provide a one-month window to save any content before restricting access.
The advertiser ID requirement could also reduce the volume of fake ads in your feed over time, though enforcement will depend on the platforms themselves. The platforms, not you, are now responsible for verifying advertisers before paid content goes live.
More details on both codes are available in the MCMC FAQ and on the MCMC website.
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