KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 — Malaysians below 16 will be barred from creating social media accounts starting next year, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said today.

According to The Star, he said the measure forms part of the government’s broader effort to strengthen online safety for minors through new verification rules.

“We expect all platform providers to be ready to implement eKYC by next year,” he was quoted as saying.

Fahmi announced the plan after officiating the closing of an online scam awareness seminar hosted by IPPTAR.

He noted that Australia’s impending age restriction on social media users will be observed for lessons that could inform Malaysia’s implementation.

The minister said the upcoming ban for children under 16 is aligned with protections under the Online Safety Act, which takes effect on January 1.

Fahmi also advised families to prioritise outdoor activities for younger children rather than excessive device use. He also reminded parents to monitor how their children engage with digital gadgets.

He said all platforms will be mandated to deploy eKYC to authenticate a user’s age during account creation and that such verification must rely on official identification, including MyKad, passports and MyDigital ID.