Kuala lumpur: Parents play the most important role in controlling and monitoring their children's use of social media, despite the government introducing various guidelines and protection mechanisms for online platforms, says the Malaysian Cyber Consumers Association (MCCA). Its president Siraj Jalil emphasized the increasing connection between children's exposure to social media and inappropriate content, which includes toxic influences, misinformation, sexual exploitation, and other harmful elements.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Siraj Jalil stated that children today have access to adult content without proper filters, potentially leading to confusion about age-inappropriate matters, especially in the absence of adequate parental supervision. He made these remarks during a recording of Jendela Fikir at Wisma Bernama.
Siraj highlighted that many parents lack formal knowledge of internet use, creating a digital supervision gap at home. He stressed the importance of providing children with clear guidance and digital education, noting that content on smartphones is not monitored as television once was, which increases the importance of parental involvement.
On the proposed restriction of social media account access for children under 16, Siraj described it as a crucial protective measure against digital threats. This aligns with global studies identifying this age as a critical stage in adolescent psychological development. He stressed that the initiative is about protection rather than restriction, given the internet's potential risks and the presence of irresponsible parties with vested interests.
Siraj also endorsed using digital identity verification systems like MyDigitalID to prevent the misuse of fake accounts and ensure age limit compliance, while acknowledging challenges such as fraud prevention during account registration.
He further proposed that the Education Ministry introduce a mandatory syllabus to equip students for social media use after 16, supported by strong digital literacy foundations to resist platform algorithms.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil announced that the government plans to implement these restrictions by the end of June, contingent upon a final review, as part of efforts to enhance online protection.