KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is moving to block children under 16 years old from accessing social media platforms and to tighten content controls for teenagers under 18, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Thursday.

These new controls are part of 10 subsidiary laws being drafted under the Online Safety Act 2025, with a specific focus on protecting children online and ensuring age-appropriate content for young users, Fahmi said in a written parliamentary reply on the government's efforts to create a safer digital environment.

"Under these subsidiary legislations, providers must ensure their platforms are inaccessible to users below 16 years old, while content delivered to those under 18 must be appropriate for their age," he said.

Fahmi added that online service providers will also be required to offer effective parental-control tools in line with their community guidelines or terms of use. To ensure accountability, they must prepare an online safety plan detailing how they comply with obligations under the act.

He said the government has taken a comprehensive approach to regulating harmful online content and safeguarding vulnerable groups, particularly children and teenagers, including enforcing licensing requirements for internet messaging and social media service providers that meet licensing thresholds.

The Online Safety Act, which was gazetted on May 22, is expected to come into force on Jan 1, 2026.