KUALA LUMPUR – The government currently has no plans to ban children from using social media, as implemented in Australia.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said that prohibiting underage users from accessing social media is based on the community guidelines of each platform.
“We all know that, at present, all social media platforms prohibit children under the age of 13 from having accounts on their platforms.
“For instance, WhatsApp sets a minimum age of 16 years, so those below the age limit are not allowed to use the platform, according to the community guidelines provided.
“We want to know what steps these platforms will take to ensure that underage children, as defined by their own guidelines, do not use these platforms,” he said during the closing ceremony of the Communications Carnival at IWK Eco Park, Pantai Dalam, here today.
According to Fahmi, the government may consider intervening if social media platform operators are unable to prevent such occurrences.
“We have not discussed this matter yet…we are monitoring and studying the measures and efforts undertaken by many other countries, not just Australia.
“If we find that operators are either capable or incapable of addressing this issue, then I think we will review (potential intervention regarding age limits for children using social media),” he said.
Previously, it was reported that the Australian Senate on Thursday approved legislation banning children and teenagers from using social media, making it the first country in the world to take such a step.
The legislation passed on the final day of the current Senate session, will come into effect at the end of next year. After that, individuals aged 16 and under will be prohibited from using platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, and X.
The government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, defended the measure, stating it was necessary to protect the mental health and well-being of the nation’s children and teenagers.
The law, which was approved by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, also proposes hefty fines of up to AU$50 million (RM145 million) for platforms that fail to comply with the regulations. – November 30, 2024