Another country in the world will ban children from social media

Malaysia will be the second country after Australia to ban the use of social networking sites by people under 16 years of age, the AP reported on Monday, citing statements by members of the government. The ban is scheduled to come into force in 2026.

The head of the Ministry of Communications, Fahmi Fadzil, said on Sunday that the government made such a decision as part of broader activities aimed at protecting young people from online threats. However, he did not provide technical details or the exact date from which the restrictions would apply.

– I believe that if the government, institutions and parents play their roles, the Internet in Malaysia will not only be widely available, fast and cheap, but also safe for children and families – he said.

Since January, websites with at least 8 million users in the country have been required to verify age.

The first country to want to cut children off from social networking sites is Australia. From December 10, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube will face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (33 million US dollars) if they do not implement effective bans for people under 16 years of age.

They also announced their intention to introduce similar bans Denmark and Norway. (PAP)

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