Malaysia to introduce new rules to protect youth on online platforms

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia will introduce new measures from Jun 1 to protect children and reduce their exposure to harmful content on online platforms, its communications regulator said on Friday (May 22).

The new rules will require online service providers to include safeguards that limit account registration and ownership by users under the age of 16, and implement stronger content governance on their platforms, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said.

The measures are aimed at providing age-appropriate protections and restrictions for high-risk features on online platforms, it noted.

It added that online platform providers will be required to have “effective reporting and response mechanisms, advertiser verification measures and the labelling of manipulated content where appropriate”.

A grace period will be provided for online platforms to implement the measures, the commission said, without specifying the duration.

Malaysia has in recent years stepped up scrutiny of social media companies after finding a sharp rise in harmful online content.

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Its authorities consider online gambling, scams, child pornography and grooming, cyberbullying and content related to race, religion and royalty as harmful.

The government plans age verification for users this year, after similar moves around the world to limit social media use among minors. REUTERS