KUALA LUMPUR - Restrictions on direct messaging (DM) functions and profile search capabilities for users under 16 are being viewed as the most effective digital shield against cyber predators in Malaysia.
The measure has been described as a critical component of the proposed age verification system, following Ops Cyber Guardian by the Royal Malaysia Police last month, which uncovered nearly half a million files containing child sexual abuse material.
Malaysian Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA) president Siraj Jalil said safety features blocking DM functions and profile searches by unknown accounts would serve as a "gatekeeping” mechanism, creating a clear digital boundary between adult and child profiles.
"Through this mechanism, search functions and direct messages from unknown accounts can be automatically blocked, preventing cold-contact attempts by predators before any conversation even begins,” he said.
He also described the findings of Op Cyber Guardian as a warning that children’s digital safety had reached a critical level, making the government’s move to restrict social media access for those under 16 and introduce mandatory age verification an urgent paradigm shift.
Siraj said mandatory verification could also eliminate the anonymity that has long shielded cyber sexual offenders.
"By requiring official documents or biometric verification, every account would carry identity accountability and a valid digital trail, serving as a psychological deterrent as the risk of detection and arrest rises significantly,” he said.
Age verification, he said, would compel platform providers to adjust algorithms to block sexual, violent or harmful content from being shown to underage users.
He said the initiative would also strengthen enforcement of existing laws by providing verified data to assist police investigations.
At the same time, it would close technical loopholes involving fake identities and place greater due diligence responsibility on platform providers to ensure the country’s digital space remains safe and credible, he noted.
However, senior lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Dr Mohd Izuan Hafez Ninggal, cautioned that the effectiveness of the system would depend entirely on how it is implemented.
He said existing self-declaration verification methods were easily manipulated by users or predators posing as minors, as they only required false birth dates and uploaded supporting documents.
"Predators usually do not rely on the age displayed on a profile, but instead use direct communication to obtain the victim’s real information.
"This raises concerns when restrictions are imposed on users under 16 while predators can still operate as legitimate users,” he said.
Mohd Izuan also stressed the need for a clearer legal framework to ensure platform companies are fully accountable for algorithm controls and the integrity of their digital spaces.
On March 31, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the government would proceed with plans to restrict new social media accounts for children under 16, with implementation expected as early as mid-year.
Earlier, on March 7, Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) was studying various age verification methods ahead of the proposed under-16 social media age limit. - BERNAMA