KUALA LUMPUR – The government has announced plans to implement a digital identity verification system, or electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC), across all social media platforms by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
This initiative aims to enforce the minimum age requirement of 16 for creating accounts, Bernama reported.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has been tasked with engaging all social media platforms and allowing them a reasonable period to adopt this measure.
“This reasonable timeframe considers what has already been successfully implemented in other countries, such as Australia. If platforms can adopt similar or nearly identical mechanisms, it could streamline or accelerate the process,” Fahmi explained.
The new system will also include provisions to freeze accounts for children under 16, with a process in place to restore access when they meet the age requirement.
Fahmi discussed these plans with reporters following his attendance at the Community Day at the Simpang Tiga Langkon National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI) in Kota Marudu, Sabah earlier today.
The eKYC initiative will involve using identity documents like passports, MyKad, and MyDigital ID to verify users’ identities, which, according to Fahmi, is essential not only to prevent underage users from accessing social media but also to tackle online scams and illegal gambling.
“Many scammers and illegal gambling operators use fake accounts, so we aim to introduce eKYC as a means of verifying identities,” he added.
On the subject of NADI, Fahmi revealed that the government plans to expand the programme with an additional centre in Sabah. Several locations are currently being assessed based on their geographic suitability, accessibility, and population size.
Sabah currently boasts 131 NADI centres, the second-largest number in the country after Sarawak. — January 26, 2025