How will MCMC ensure child protection online?

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MCMC's Multi-faceted Approach to Online Child Protection

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is implementing a comprehensive strategy to safeguard children online, focusing on age verification, platform accountability, and the development of specific codes of conduct. These measures are designed to align with the enforcement of the Online Safety Act (ONSA) 2025, which came into effect on January 1. The commission is actively engaging with social media providers to establish robust mechanisms that protect minors from harmful digital content.
Finalisation of Age Verification Mechanism

The government anticipates the finalisation of an age verification mechanism for social media users by the second quarter of this year. This will be achieved through subsidiary legislation enacted under the ONSA 2025. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is diligently assessing various implementation approaches, considering crucial factors such as account security, the protection of personal data, user privacy, and compatibility with the existing legal framework.
Platform Accountability and Penalties

Under proposed subsidiary legislation pursuant to Act 866, social media platform providers will bear full responsibility for ensuring that individuals aged 16 and below do not operate social media accounts. This stringent requirement is accompanied by significant financial penalties, with non-compliance potentially leading to fines of up to RM10 million. This measure aims to ensure that social media algorithms are age-appropriate and to prevent children's exposure to detrimental content, including cyberbullying and sexual harassment.
Regulatory Sandbox and Technological Evaluation

To identify suitable technological solutions, MCMC is conducting a Regulatory Sandbox process in collaboration with social media platform providers. This initiative involves evaluating various approaches, including sophisticated age and entity verification mechanisms, and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to detect high-risk content. The objective is to assess the efficacy and practicality of these technologies in creating a safer online environment for young users.
Development of Risk Reduction and Child Protection Codes

In a further effort to bolster digital safety, MCMC has initiated a public consultation period, running from February 12, for the development of a Risk Reduction Code and a Child Protection Code. These codes are expected to be finalised after March 13. MCMC intends to make compliance with these codes mandatory for platform providers, thereby promoting safer algorithms and establishing more efficient and responsive complaint resolution mechanisms. Between January 1, 2022, and February 15 this year, 1,578 requests for the removal of extremely offensive content involving children were successfully addressed, with 96 per cent of these takedown requests being fulfilled.

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How will MCMC ensure child protection online?

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