Malaysia to follow suit on Aust social media rules

Malaysia plans to impose stricter rules on social media use by children and teenagers under 16, following a similar groundbreaking move in Australia.

But unlike Canberra, the government in Kuala Lumpur is not imposing a blanket ban, but is imposing stricter age controls and technical protective measures that will initially be tested in a trial phase, Bernama news agency reported, citing the government.

A several-month trial involving the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and selected social network operators is expected to begin on January 1.

New tools for age verification and protection of minors will be tested in a protected environment before being made available for binding use.

Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil said that while developing practical solutions for platforms, the aim is to better protect children from risks on the internet. He said the measures must be effective and not easily circumvented.

The purpose of the testing phase is to give the government and companies time to identify weaknesses and make improvements.

Malaysia is trying to adapt the rules to its own national circumstances, although it is drawing on the experience of other countries such as Australia and Denmark.

Australia recently made history when legislation banning people under the age of 16 from having their own accounts on most major social media platforms came into force earlier this month.

The rule aims to protect children and teenagers from risks associated with social media use, such as excessive screen time and cyberbullying.

However, reports suggest that many Australian teenagers are still managing to get around the ban.