The Online Safety Act 2025 enforces platform accountability to combat child exploitation and harmful content, with age verification under study
KUALA LUMPUR: The newly enforced Online Safety Act 2025 aims to create a safer internet environment by clearly defining the responsibilities of online platforms.
Communications Ministry deputy secretary-general Mano Verabathran said the law addresses rising internet use among families and the concurrent increase in online scams, cyberbullying and inappropriate content.
“We want a safer digital space, where platforms are accountable, actions against harmful content are more consistent, and users feel more confident when they are online,” he said on a Bernama Radio programme.
He stated the phased approach is balanced, with a goal to prevent harm and build trust rather than to punish.
Mano highlighted that children are among the most vulnerable groups online, citing a UNICEF study identifying over 100,000 children in Malaysia at risk of online sexual exploitation.
Enforcement operations by the Royal Malaysia Police have uncovered hundreds of thousands of child sexual abuse files, underscoring the need for a systematic approach.
“This Act gives parents greater confidence that their children’s safety no longer depends solely on their own monitoring,” he said.
Platforms are now required to take earlier preventive steps to reduce risks and protect children before harm occurs.
Addressing surveillance concerns, Mano clarified that ONSA 2025 focuses on platform risk management, not individual private communications.
The Act balances roles by mandating better safety tools from platforms, providing clearer guidance for parents, and encouraging public reporting of harmful content.
The Communications Ministry, via the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, is studying methods to implement an online age-verification system.
Mano noted Australia has already implemented a system prohibiting under-16s from social media, with certain exceptions.
For Malaysia, MCMC is reviewing the use of government-issued IDs for verification and proposing platforms only register users aged 16 and above.
The best mechanism is still under review, with further implementation details expected to be announced by mid-year.
