16-and-under ban: Is MyDigital ID the solution to protecting minors online?
The age-verification measure is being studied as a possible safeguard to strengthen protections for minors online.
NUR ADNIN MAHALIM
SHAH ALAM – The government is considering a proposal that could require social media users to verify their ages through MyDigital ID. This move is aimed at preventing children aged 16 and below from creating or maintaining social media accounts.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching confirmed that the government, together with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), is already in discussions with major online platforms to explore how such a system might be implemented.
She stated that the proposal is part of ongoing efforts to create a safer digital environment for young people.
Here’s an overview of how the system may work, what the government has proposed and what changes platforms could face.
Why the proposal is being considered
According to Teo, the idea of using MyDigital ID for age verification is closely tied to the government’s push to reduce children’s exposure to harmful online content, including grooming, bullying and inappropriate materials.
She described that the age-verification measure is being studied as a possible safeguard to strengthen protections for minors online.
The initiative follows earlier calls by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, who encouraged social media companies to adopt electronic Know-Your-Customer (eKYC) systems, using MyKad, passports, or MyDigital ID when confirming user identities.
How MyDigital ID might function in age checks
MyDigital ID serves as Malaysia’s national digital identity system and is designed to allow Malaysians to authenticate themselves online in a secure and privacy-conscious way.
The system enables users to verify their identity without repeatedly revealing their personal details to every website or platform.
In the context of the age-limit proposal, MyDigital ID could be used by platforms to confirm whether a user is above the minimum age without necessarily disclosing unnecessary personal data.
Teo described the digital ID as “one of the tools or mechanisms to verify the age of social media users,” though she stressed that any system must balance the need for child safety with the protection of user privacy, as well as practical implementation concerns.
She added that a number of mechanisms are still being evaluated to determine what is feasible.
Current regulatory landscape
The proposal fits into a broader restructuring of online platform regulation in Malaysia.
A new framework introduced by the MCMC, effective Jan 1 2025, requires major platforms with at least eight million users to operate under a class-licensing scheme.
This forms part of Malaysia’s effort to make digital spaces safer and more accountable. The Cabinet has also discussed raising the minimum age for social media access to 16.
Fahmi previously stated that implementing this age requirement would rely on “registration through official documents such as MyKad, Passport or MyDigital ID,” signalling the government’s intention to include identity-verification requirements as part of future regulations.
He also shared that MCMC is scheduled to meet with major platforms such as Meta, Google and TikTok to determine how identity checks and age restrictions could be introduced securely and in line with domestic privacy laws.
Concerns about parental responsibility
There has been public debate about whether parents might be penalised if their under-16 children manage to access social media despite the new restrictions.
Teo addressed this by stating that the government has no plans to punish parents for this scenario once the regulations come into effect.
“There is no plan to hold parents responsible over underage social media use once new regulations prohibiting under-16s are implemented in 2026,” she said, adding that it would be extremely difficult to legally and practically determine parental liability in such circumstances.
Challenges and possible limitations
While the proposal is being actively considered, there are unresolved questions about privacy, feasibility and adoption.
The use of a national digital ID for age verification raises concerns about how much information platforms would obtain and how securely the process would be handled.
Connecting MyDigital ID with global social media platforms could also involve substantial technical and security challenges.
Another potential issue is that MyDigital ID is still being rolled out, meaning not all Malaysians have registered for it yet.
There are also concerns that minors may attempt to bypass verification mechanisms, which would require platforms to design multiple layers of checks to ensure the system works effectively.
How other countries are approaching age verification
Teo pointed out that Malaysia is not alone in moving toward stricter controls on youth access to social media.
“Australia has already taken this step, requiring social media platforms to shut down accounts of users under 16,” she said, citing it as an example of how other nations have introduced similar protections.
Several countries have begun adopting their own variations of digital-identity age checks, some through national IDs and others through anonymous age-verification technologies.
What might happen next
The government is expected to continue negotiations with technology companies to determine how MyDigital ID or other eKYC mechanisms could be integrated into social media registration systems.
Any rollout is likely to involve the creation of detailed safeguards governing data handling and privacy.
A phased introduction could also be considered, giving platforms time to adapt and allowing the public to understand how the system operates.
As the discussions progress, feedback from civil-society groups, parents, regulators and digital-rights advocates is expected to shape how the policy will eventually be implemented.
Why the issue matters
If Malaysia proceeds with using MyDigital ID to verify the ages of social media users, the shift could redefine how young people access the internet and how identity is managed in digital spaces.
Supporters believe it could significantly strengthen protections for minors, while critics worry about the implications for privacy and data security.
The outcome will likely influence how Malaysians interact with social platforms in the coming years and could set a precedent for how digital identity systems intersect with online regulation.
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