The Child Protection Code (CPC) under the Online Safety Act (ONSA) 2025 came into force back on 1 June. As a result, licensed social media providers operating in Malaysia, specifically Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, will have to implement age verification mechanisms using official documents like the MyKad or passports to ensure only users aged 16 and up can hold accounts on their platforms. In a written reply to Parliament, the Ministry of Communications said that the requirement is already being enforced.
According to a Malay Mail report citing a written reply to Parliament, the ministry said that “the MCMC has issued written notices under Subsection 30(2) of the Online Safety Act 2025 (Act 866) to social media service providers, requiring them to explain instances of non-compliance and the measures taken to implement age verification mechanisms”. This refers to the need to perform age verification on users using official documents such as MyKad, passports, birth certificates and other recognised documents.
As a refresher, under the act, licensed social media platforms that are convicted of not properly keeping out underaged users can be fined up to RM1 million, and an additional RM100,000 for each day the offence continues. The act also gives MCMC the power to issue Notices of Non-Compliance and impose financial penalties of RM10 million.
That being said, existing child users of these social media platforms are provided grace periods to verify their age. Those aged 16 or older are given a grace period of six months to complete the age verification process before getting locked out. On the other hand, users identified as being under the age of 16 will be given a month to manage, download or transfer their user data out prior to further action by the platform that would lock the user out.
(Source: Malay Mail)
