MY govt looks to other countries to tackle social media usage by minors

The Malaysia government will reportedly learn from other countries on how to tackle issues regarding social media usage by minors. 

At a post-Cabinet meeting press conference, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil reportedly said that children aged six or seven have social media accounts and that platform operators are laxed in implementing age restrictions. 

He reportedly said that his ministry has raised the matter of an age limit on social media platforms several times and that it is examining what other countries such as Australia have implemented to overcome the issue. 

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The minister reportedly added that the new social media licensing will hold the platforms more accountable. This includes enforcing age limit restrictions. The issue on age restrictions on social media platforms have been ongoing for some time now.

In April this year, Fahmi received support from the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (Content Forum) to ensure that children under the age of 13 do not have their own social media accounts. 

In a statement, Content Forum said that children are only given access to devices and online content under appropriate supervision and monitoring. This is because children under 13 may not fully comprehend the risks involved in using social media.

Without proper supervision, they can fall victim to unsafe activities such as scams, cyberbullying, or harmful interactions, said Content Forum. 

In addition, social media trends and challenges can pose risk to children who fear missing out and the desire to go viral. Some trends, added Content Forum, are dangerous. 

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