Malaysia Demands TikTok Age Verification to Protect Minors

Malaysia's Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has urged TikTok to implement an age verification mechanism to protect children under 13, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the platform's current content moderation efforts. The Malaysian authorities summoned TikTok's top management to discuss the issue and warned that penalties could be imposed if necessary. This demand is part of Malaysia's broader crackdown on social media platforms, which includes summoning representatives from X and Meta to discuss similar measures. Since early 2025, Malaysia requires platforms with over 8 million users to obtain a license, reflecting heightened scrutiny amid a rise in harmful online content such as child exploitation, cyberbullying, and scams. The government is collaborating with TikTok, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, and the police to study possible age verification systems, drawing on examples from countries like Britain, France, and Australia that have introduced similar protections. This initiative underscores Malaysia's commitment to safeguarding minors from the mental health risks posed by unrestricted social media access.