According to engadget, Malaysia’s cabinet just approved a ban on social media accounts for anyone under 16 years old, with the restriction scheduled to take effect in 2026. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated the government wants to ensure the internet is “safe, especially for children and families.” The country already requires platforms with over 8 million local users to obtain licenses and implement age verification measures. Malaysia is looking to Australia’s approach, where a similar ban for under-16s begins December 10 with fines up to $49.5 million AUD for non-compliance. Denmark is also moving toward banning social media for under-15s, while US states like Utah and Florida have implemented various age restrictions.
The global crackdown is accelerating
Here’s the thing – we’re seeing a massive shift in how governments approach social media and children. It’s not just one country experimenting anymore. Australia’s about to implement the world’s first blanket ban for under-16s in December, Denmark’s moving toward under-15 restrictions, and now Malaysia’s joining the club. Basically, the “let parents handle it” approach is being replaced with actual legislation. And the fines are getting serious – Australia’s threatening nearly $50 million penalties for platforms that don’t comply. That gets companies’ attention in a way that gentle suggestions never did.
But how do you actually enforce this?
Now comes the really hard part. Age verification sounds simple until you try to implement it at scale. Malaysia’s looking at electronic ID systems, but let’s be real – how many 14-year-olds have government-issued digital IDs? And what about platforms that aren’t based in these countries? A company like TikTok or Meta has to decide whether it’s worth rebuilding their entire signup process for specific markets. Plus there’s the whole privacy concern – do we really want social media companies having access to more personal identification data? It’s a mess.
Meanwhile in the US, it’s patchwork city
Look at what’s happening stateside – Utah requires parental consent for teens, Florida tried to ban under-14s entirely (but it’s stuck in court), and Texas couldn’t even pass an under-18 ban. There’s no unified approach. So we’ve got this weird situation where a 15-year-old in Utah needs mom’s permission but across state lines they’re scrolling freely. And honestly, does parental consent actually solve the problem? Most parents just click through without understanding what they’re approving. It feels like we’re putting bandaids on a much deeper issue about how these platforms are designed to be addictive.
The real question nobody’s answering
Here’s what bothers me about all these bans – they’re treating the symptom rather than the disease. Sure, keeping younger kids off social media might help, but what about the platforms themselves? Are we ever going to address the fundamental design choices that make these services so problematic for developing brains? Instead of just building higher age gates, maybe we should be asking why these platforms need to be so engaging that they disrupt sleep and concentration, as Denmark’s Digitalization Ministry noted. That’s the conversation we should be having, but it’s a lot harder than just slapping an age restriction on everything.
