Malaysia's social media ban for minors sparks privacy debate

Key points

• Malaysia’s ban on social media for people younger than16 has been framed as a child-safety measure, but critics warn that it could prove difficult to enforce and may come at the cost of online privacy.
• A ban on social media accounts for children under 16 that took effect June 1 has made Malaysia one of the latest countries to impose age-based limits on access to digital platforms.
• The rules require major social media companies to prevent people younger than 16 from registering or holding accounts.
• Platforms are expected to verify users' ages and strengthen safeguards against harmful content, cyberbullying, grooming, scams and addictive design features.
• About 8 million of the 36 million people in Malaysia are younger than 16. The Malaysian government says the measure is intended to protect children, not cut them off from technology altogether.