If you’re a parent concerned about your child under 13 using social media, help might be on the way. The government is currently reviewing a move to ban young children from having social media accounts altogether.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has revealed that the government is considering a move to ban children under 13 from having social media accounts, a proposal aimed at tackling online safety issues and curbing exposure to harmful content.
According to Kosmo!, the Lembah Pantai MP said in Parliament earlier today that this measure was being reviewed in response to growing concerns about young children accessing platforms like TikTok.
If you ask any group of students under 13 whether they have a TikTok account, many would say yes. But this is actually a violation, even TikTok themselves have acknowledged this.”
Currently, most social media platforms technically prohibit users under 13, but enforcement is almost non-existent. Fahmi’s remarks hint at the possibility of stricter enforcement or policy changes to address this loophole.
Digital literacy for teens
For those aged 13 and above, the ministry plans to roll out digital literacy modules to help them better understand the flood of information and misinformation online.
Fahmi stressed that it’s not just about access, it’s about education and awareness, especially as teenagers become more active digital citizens.
In response to a question by Datuk Mumtaz Md Nawi (PN–Tumpat) regarding the well-being of children online, Fahmi also shared that 1,443 offensive and highly inappropriate content involving children has been taken down.
These takedowns came after requests from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and were due to violations under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588), as well as breaches of community guidelines on various platforms.
Why it matters
With more Malaysian children accessing the internet and social media at a younger age, the line between playful scrolling and serious risks is getting thinner.
From harmful content to exploitation, parents and the government alike are under pressure to reinforce digital safety, not just with rules, but with the right knowledge too.
Whether the proposed ban for under-13 users will be enforced remains to be seen, but the conversation around children’s digital well-being is clearly gaining urgency.
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