Malaysia Plans 2026 Age Checks in Under-16 Social Media Ban

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The Malaysian government is preparing to introduce new age verification requirements for social media platforms, following the lead of Australia’s upcoming social media ban legislation.

To better protect children online, the Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the minimum age to open a social media account in Malaysia will be raised from 13 to 16. 

Businesses will also be expected to comply with new e-KYC requirements for identity verification, using official documents at account registration. The move aligns with Malaysia’s Online Safety Act, which takes effect on January 1, 2026.

Malaysia is also considering a ban on smartphones for anyone under 16. This follows a conflict with Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram), which Malaysia says has been too slow in tackling online scams, gambling, and child sexual abuse material on its platforms. 

Under a proposed framework, any social media service with at least 8 million local users would need to obtain a licence or face fines of up to RM 500,000 (USD 121,000) and possible jail ­terms of up to five years for officers.

Fahmi called on Meta to become “much more proactive in combating group accounts … that engage in such sexual-criminal activities”. Meta rejects this, saying it is working to improve scam detection and children’s well-being.

The Malaysian initiative signals a growing global push to restrict young people from social media use.