Mps Back Ban On Social Media For Children Under 16 To Protect Mental Health

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Several members of parliament today voiced support for the government’s proposal to prohibit social media use for children under the age of 16, citing concerns over their mental and social development. - Bernama file picKUALA LUMPUR: Several members of parliament today voiced support for the government's proposal to prohibit social media use for children under the age of 16, citing concerns over their mental and social development.
The proposal comes amid rising incidents of cyberbullying, sexual harassment, and behavioural issues among schoolchildren, often linked to early, unregulated exposure to social media.
Datuk Larry Soon @ Larry Sng Wei Shien (PBM–Julau) urged the immediate implementation of a minimum age requirement of 16 for social media use and account registration.
He said that countries such as Australia had already introduced such measures, with children under 16 barred from accessing social media from December this year. Similar regulations have been adopted in the United Kingdom, Norway, and other developed nations.
"Children as young as 10 are being exposed to harmful content, including pornography, violence, hate speech, and defamation, with little to no supervision. Social media is having a detrimental effect on our children's mental health," he said during the debate on the Supply Bill (Budget 2026) in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Young Syefura Othman (PH–Bentong) also called for a proper mechanism to restrict social media use for those under 16.
"We must establish a reliable age verification system to prevent users from falsifying their age when creating accounts. Social media platforms must also be held accountable for managing content, ensuring their platforms remain free from violent material, fraud, bullying, explicit content, and other online crimes," she said.
She added that recent high-profile criminal cases, including rape and murder, should serve as a wake-up call for society.
This sentiment was echoed by several other MPs, including Suhaizan Kaiat (PH–Pulai) and Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari (PH–Sungai Petani), who also called for stricter control over social media use and content for children.
Meanwhile, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN–Pagoh) proposed developing a comprehensive character education programme aimed at cultivating balanced personalities in students, in line with the National Education Philosophy.
He said the plan should address contemporary challenges, including the influence of social media, artificial intelligence (AI), and mental health, which all impact students' development.
"It is time for the government, particularly the Education Ministry, to review the existing system and identify the root causes and potential solutions to these issues," he said.
The sitting will continue on Monday. — BERNAMA

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