Malaysia’s MCMC is studying various age verification methods, including MyDigital ID, to enforce a new 16-year-old minimum age for social media users.
KULAI: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is studying various age verification methods ahead of enforcing a minimum age limit of 16 for social media use.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said the commission is exploring options through a regulatory sandbox with major platforms. She stated that MCMC has held engagement sessions with social media service providers such as Meta, Google, and TikTok to determine the most suitable method.
READ MORE: Malaysia to enforce social media age limit of 16 for child safety
“In Malaysia we already have (age verification methods such as) identity cards, passports, and MyDigital ID,” Teo said. She added that MCMC is also open to considering other methods for age verification.
The new rule is expected to take effect in the second quarter of this year. The government reportedly aims for all platforms to implement digital user identity verification by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
This enforcement is intended to ensure compliance with the minimum age requirement for opening a social media account. Teo made the remarks after officiating a contribution presentation programme for the Kulai parliamentary constituency.
