Malaysia: Prioritise the protection of children – and everyone – online

We understand that public concerns are at a peak, and there is no denying that social media companies have increasingly posed challenges to the wellbeing of children and all social media users in recent years. We also understand that the government’s aim to protect children and young people from online harm and the negative impact of social media on their wellbeing is consistent with Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which requires States to take measures to protect children from violence (both physical and mental), abuse, and maltreatment.

While framed as a protective measure, this proposed blanket ban on social media for children under 16, expected to be implemented by June 2026, is misguided and disproportionate, and it risks undermining the privacy and freedom of expression of all social media users, both adults and children. It does not address the systemic and structural drivers of harm in digital spaces and may ultimately prove ineffective. Far from solving the problem, it threatens to entrench it. It is critical that we adopt evidence-based, rights-respecting regulations grounded in nuance, rather than a total prohibition on children under 16 from participating in the digital world.

Children do not need to be excluded from digital spaces; instead, they need protection within them, along with the skills and safeguards to participate safely and meaningfully.