Malaysia Under-16 Social Media Ban Plans and eKYC Age Checks

Malaysia is preparing to restrict social media access for children under 16, with officials signalling a nationwide ban on new accounts from 2026. The proposal would cover major platforms and could require stronger age verification across the market.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government is developing mechanisms to bar children under 16 from opening accounts and is reviewing approaches used in Australia and other countries. He said providers are expected to implement electronic Know Your Customer, or eKYC, for age checks, using government-issued documents such as Malaysia’s MyKad, passports, and MyDigital ID. He also raised the use of biometric authentication as part of identity verification.

The plan would affect services like Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, along with TikTok, X, and other large platforms. Since early 2025, major social media and messaging services above a local user threshold have been brought under licensing requirements aimed at improving online safety.

In October, the cabinet agreed to raise the age from 13 to 16 to ensure greater online safety for minors. An Online Safety Act is due on January 1, 2026.

Malaysia’s timeline is closely tied to Australia’s upcoming enforcement. The ban on under-16 accounts in Australia is set to come into effect on December 10, 2025. If the platforms do not take adequate measures to stop the creation of underage accounts, they may be fined as much as 50 million Australian dollars.

This challenge for identity and safety organizations entails the development of a user-friendly and, at the same time, accurate age verification system. If Malaysia decides to implement this, online platforms will need to adopt a combination of document verification, biometrics, and risk signals in order to limit the access of minors without making it difficult for adults. The whole process will be overseen in Southeast Asia, where the authorities are thinking about adopting the same protection measures for children.

Similar Global Cases of Under-16 Social Media Restrictions

Australia’s under-16 ban starts December 10, 2025, and is facing legal pushback. Denmark has announced plans to bar under-15s, while Norway is proposing a 15-year minimum. In Europe, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece are jointly testing a shared age verification app template for social media access.