Malaysia's Under-16 Social Media Rule, Three Months In: What the Child Protection Code Requires, and the Parent's Account It Allows
Since 1 June 2026, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube must check a Malaysian user's age against a MyKad, passport or birth certificate before letting them open an account, and anyone under 16 is refused. We read the Child Protection Code, MCMC's FAQ and the Online Safety Act 2025 itself. Existing accounts are being checked in phases over up to six months, which runs out at the end of November. WhatsApp and Telegram chats sit outside the Act. And MCMC's own under-16 page says a child may still use social media through a parent's account, while its FAQ calls exactly that a risk platforms must detect.
