Kuala Lumpur: The government plans to raise the minimum age for social media usage to 16, aiming to address social issues among school students, announced MADANI Government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. In a bid to enforce this initiative, the government is also exploring the requirement for social media accounts to be registered using official government documents.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Communications Minister, speaking after a Cabinet meeting, revealed that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), along with relevant agencies, will dispatch a delegation to Singapore next week. The delegation's objective is to meet with social media platform operators to discuss the feasibility and technical aspects of implementing this registration mechanism, which might resemble the e-KYC process used in banking apps and e-wallets.
Fahmi stated that they plan to consult with Bank Negara Malaysia and other stakeholders, drawing from their experience with the e-KYC systems used in e-wallets like Touch n Go eWallet and Grab. These systems also require verification through government-issued documents. He emphasized that the current decision is at the policy level, with further updates to be provided after discussions in Singapore.
In addition to the age restriction proposal, Fahmi mentioned that MCMC has been instructed to evaluate actions against e-commerce platforms selling prohibited items such as narcotics or dangerous weapons. He highlighted that the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) routinely issue directives to remove advertisements for these illegal products.
Fahmi urged MCMC to investigate potential actions against non-compliant e-commerce companies to ensure adherence to government policies and national laws. His comments followed a query regarding efforts to curtail online weapon purchases, particularly after police confirmed that weapons used in a recent fatal incident involving a 16-year-old girl in Petaling Jaya were procured online.