Kuala lumpur: Social media platforms operating in Malaysia must respect and comply with the country's laws, particularly those relating to online safety and the protection of children, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said. He emphasized this as the government begins enforcing age-verification requirements for social media account registration from today through the implementation of the Child Protection Code (CPC) and Risk Mitigation Code (RMC).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the two codes, introduced under the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA), represent a crucial first step in protecting individuals under the age of 16 from online harm. Fahmi remarked that this initiative marks the beginning of a series of measures aimed at ensuring the safety of young users online. He stressed that platforms failing to comply with these regulations would face further actions and highlighted the importance of respecting Malaysian laws for those wishing to conduct business within the country.

He further stated that from today, Malaysia requires age verification for the registration of new social media accounts, ensuring that individuals below the age of 16 are not permitted to open such accounts. For existing users, age verification will be implemented progressively over a period of up to six months by the respective social media service providers.

Under the new regulations, users registering for accounts must provide official government-issued identification documents, such as a MyKad, passport, or MyDigital ID, to verify their age. This requirement applies to licensed social media services, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.