The danger isn’t the platform, it’s the digital literacy gap

AMID recent festivities and gatherings, a simple question posed to a group of teenagers revealed a startling disconnect. When asked about Malaysia’s impending social media licensing rules and proposed restrictions for those under 16, the response was a mixture of blank stares and shrugs.

They were neither worried nor resistant; they were simply unaware. Some did not even believe the measures would materialise. One thing, however, was clear: they wanted their social media and no one was going to take it away from them.

This disconnect reflects the core of a growing national concern - the widening gap between legislative intent and the lived reality of Malaysian households.

Through the Online Safety Act (ONSA) 2025 and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) new licensing framework, the government is attempting to build a legislative fortress. By requiring platforms such as TikTok, Meta and X to obtain annual licences, the state is taking a long-overdue step toward holding tech giants accountable for cyberbullying, scams and child grooming.

However, for parents of school-going children, one truth is evident: a fortress is only as strong as its gatekeepers. While the government focuses on regulating platforms, a significant gap persists between laws crafted in Putrajaya and the digital literacy of the children those laws are meant to protect.

Much of the current discourse centres on banning children under 16 from social media. While this may appeal to concerned guardians, the practical reality is far more complex.

Today’s youth are digital natives. Many possess the technical know-how to bypass age restrictions long before they develop the judgment needed to navigate online risks responsibly.

Their lack of awareness about these policies is also telling. Information for many teenagers is shaped less by headlines and more by algorithms. If a policy does not surface on their “For You” page, it effectively does not exist in their world.

Without understanding the “why” behind these regulations, children will continue to view them as obstacles to circumvent rather than safeguards to respect.

ONSA introduces the principle of “Safety by Design”, requiring platforms to minimise risks by default. This is a significant step forward, potentially reducing exposure to harmful interactions and improving algorithmic accountability.

Yet parenting cannot be outsourced to legislation. Regulation should be seen as the floor, not the ceiling. While laws may limit exposure to harmful content, they cannot teach children why such content is dangerous in the first place. That responsibility still lies within the home — shifting the conversation from simply “staying offline” to understanding data, privacy and digital footprints.

The real danger is not any single platform, not TikTok or Instagram, but the silence in many modern living rooms, where devices are handed over with little guidance or discussion.

Malaysia may be legislating for a safer internet, but there is an urgent need to educate for a smarter, more accountable one.

As the country moves toward full enforcement of ONSA, responsibility cannot rest solely with regulators or platforms. It must be shared by parents, educators and the wider community.

Digital literacy, regardless of whether a social media ban is implemented, must be actively taught and properly understood, especially by the young.

Because every time a user clicks “accept”, they are not just opening an app. They are opening their world, beyond borders and physical boundaries, into their homes and minds.