Focus on platforms’ access to children, not vice versa, says MCMC official

KUALA LUMPUR: A senior Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) official says discussions on children’s online safety should shift away from whether children can access social media, and instead focus on whether platforms should be allowed access to them.

MCMC deputy managing director (development) Eneng Faridah Iskandar Sastrawidjaja said social media accounts not only allow children to use online platforms but also create digital identities, make them contactable online, and enable platforms to gather information about their preferences, interests, and behaviour.

“The question we are facing right now is not about whether children can access social media, but whether social media should have access to children.

“As social media account holders, platforms learn a great deal of information about us – our preferences, likes, and dislikes,” she said during a panel session at the Responsible Technology Conference here today.

She also said that children should no longer be viewed as adopters of technology, but as digital natives who grow up with it from birth.

Social media platform users are required to upload official government-issued identification documents for age verification following the implementation of two new codes under the Online Safety Act 2025 (Onsa) on June 1.

The two codes introduced by MCMC – the Child Protection Code and the Risk Mitigation Code – are aimed at preventing individuals under 16 from opening social media accounts.

Eneng said online safety measures are not intended to keep children away from technology, but to ensure that digital environments operate in their best interests.

She said the immediate focus is on implementing and operationalising Onsa, while evaluating whether the measures introduced under the law effectively reduce risks and strengthen protections for children.

Meanwhile, Unicef Malaysia chief of child protection Saskia Blume said the impact of the newly implemented online safety measures should also be monitored across different groups of children.

During the panel session, Saskia said children, including those from marginalised communities, also benefit from being online through access to education, creativity, and support networks.