Malaysia Urges TikTok to Implement Age Verification for User Protection
Following concerns over harmful content, the Malaysian government has summoned TikTok's management and called for faster action to protect minors.
KUALA LUMPUR: In response to growing global concerns over the impact of social media on children’s mental health, Malaysia has urged the video-sharing platform TikTok to implement age verification for its users.
This call to action came after the Malaysian Communications Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, summoned TikTok's top management to address the issue of harmful content on their platform.The measures being proposed by Malaysia align with a growing global trend; Australia recently banned children under 16 from using social media platforms.
The Malaysian government expressed its dissatisfaction with TikTok’s efforts to control harmful content but indicated that the company would be allowed to collaborate with local authorities to address these concerns.According to Fahmi Fadzil, a mechanism for age verification needs to be established, and this task has been handed over to TikTok in conjunction with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and law enforcement agencies.
However, as of yet, TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance, has not issued any immediate comments on these demands.In addition to its concerns about TikTok, the Malaysian government has announced that it will be summoning representatives from X and Meta Platforms for similar discussions regarding harmful content on their platforms.
This increased scrutiny follows a sharp rise in problematic online content observed by Malaysian authorities.Since January, Malaysia has adopted a new regulatory framework requiring platforms and messaging services with more than 8 million users to obtain a license.
The Minister made it clear that authorities will not hesitate to enforce penalties if necessary to protect the nation’s digital wellbeing.Malaysia's definition of harmful content includes online gambling, scams, child pornography, grooming activities, cyberbullying, and content related to sensitive issues such as race, religion, and royalty.
This move by Malaysia is part of a broader international effort; since July, Britain has required all pornographic sites and platforms hosting harmful content to verify user ages to prevent children from accessing them.
France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece are currently testing a template for an age verification app as part of their efforts to address similar concerns.
This call to action came after the Malaysian Communications Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, summoned TikTok's top management to address the issue of harmful content on their platform.The measures being proposed by Malaysia align with a growing global trend; Australia recently banned children under 16 from using social media platforms.
The Malaysian government expressed its dissatisfaction with TikTok’s efforts to control harmful content but indicated that the company would be allowed to collaborate with local authorities to address these concerns.According to Fahmi Fadzil, a mechanism for age verification needs to be established, and this task has been handed over to TikTok in conjunction with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and law enforcement agencies.
However, as of yet, TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance, has not issued any immediate comments on these demands.In addition to its concerns about TikTok, the Malaysian government has announced that it will be summoning representatives from X and Meta Platforms for similar discussions regarding harmful content on their platforms.
This increased scrutiny follows a sharp rise in problematic online content observed by Malaysian authorities.Since January, Malaysia has adopted a new regulatory framework requiring platforms and messaging services with more than 8 million users to obtain a license.
The Minister made it clear that authorities will not hesitate to enforce penalties if necessary to protect the nation’s digital wellbeing.Malaysia's definition of harmful content includes online gambling, scams, child pornography, grooming activities, cyberbullying, and content related to sensitive issues such as race, religion, and royalty.
This move by Malaysia is part of a broader international effort; since July, Britain has required all pornographic sites and platforms hosting harmful content to verify user ages to prevent children from accessing them.
France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece are currently testing a template for an age verification app as part of their efforts to address similar concerns.
