Malaysia requires social media users to upload documents for age verification

Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA) – The Malaysian government will require social media users to upload official documents, such as identity cards or passports, as a mechanism for age verification to prevent social media from being used by children under 16. The measure will take effect on 1 June 2026, as set out in the Child Protection Guidelines (CPC) and the Risk Mitigation Guidelines (RMC) under the 2025 Cyber Security Act in Malaysia. ‘We have now asked social media platforms to implement age verification. Users will need to verify their age using government-issued documents such as identity cards, passports, or other official documents,’ said Teo Nie Ching, Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Communications, during a working visit to Kuching, Malaysia, on Friday, as reported by BERNAMA. She noted that if age verification on social media is done solely by self-declaration, anyone can claim to be old enough to use social media. Teo said that for the time being the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has not yet specified the exact technology that social media platforms must use to verify ages, and the government will provide a grace period for implementing the process before enforcement action is taken. ‘For existing accounts that have not undergone age verification, MCMC is still considering a reasonable timeframe after consultations with the relevant social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram,’ she added. She said that those who do not verify their age by uploading documents are likely to have their accounts closed. The Malaysian government previously decided that children under 16 are not allowed to open or hold social media accounts on platforms with more than eight million users in Malaysia. This decision is to protect children from potentially harmful effects that social media can have, including online fraud. Teo noted that from January to April 2026 there were a total of 23,367 online fraud cases reported in Malaysia, with losses amounting to 680.3 million ringgit.