Thursday 15 October 2026 Independent MENA news since 2019
Culture & Media

Malaysia to ban social media for children under 16 next year

MENA News Today · November 24, 2025 · 1 min read

 

Malaysia to ban social media for children under 16 next year

🇲🇾 Malaysia Plans to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16

The Malaysian government has announced its intention to prohibit access to social media for children under 16, a measure expected to come into effect next year.

🔹 Objectives of the measure

Protecting young users

  • To prevent risks associated with early exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and misinformation.

Mental health

  • To reduce negative effects on the emotional well-being of adolescents caused by intensive social media use.

🔹 Proposed implementation

  • Authorities plan to introduce an age verification system to restrict access to popular platforms.

  • Parents may also be involved in supervising and controlling their children’s social media use.

🔹 Reactions and debate

  • Some experts welcome the initiative as a step forward in protecting minors in an increasingly digital world.

  • Others criticize it, arguing that it may push adolescents toward workarounds, such as using adult accounts or VPNs, rather than promoting responsible use.

How does this story make you feel?

Topics in this story Open my news ›