KUALA LUMPUR – Asean countries must strengthen cooperation to protect children from growing online threats, despite differences in their laws and approaches to internet safety, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said.
He said countries across the region faced a common challenge in making the internet safer for children and needed to work together to address emerging risks, Bernama reported.
“The internet is good. The internet can be put to good use. But do children know how to use it well?” he said in his keynote address at Bali Tech Week 2026 on Tuesday.
Fahmi said Malaysia aimed to prevent children below the age of 16 from opening social media accounts, while acknowledging that approaches to child online safety could vary between Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and other ASEAN member states.
Malaysia began enforcing age-verification requirements for social media account registration on June 1 this year under the Child Protection Code and Risk Mitigation Code introduced pursuant to the Online Safety Act 2025.
Under the regulations, those below 16 are prohibited from opening social media accounts, while applicants must provide official identification documents, including MyKad, passports or MyDigital ID, to verify their age.
Fahmi also raised concerns about social media algorithms, saying governments had limited understanding of how they worked and shaped the content users encountered online.
He outlined Malaysia’s efforts to improve internet coverage, speed and affordability while strengthening online safety, particularly for children.
Highlighting the severity of online child exploitation, Fahmi cited a recent case in which Malaysian police arrested 53 suspects believed to be paedophiles and seized more than 500,000 files suspected of containing child sexual abuse material.
He said protecting children online was a shared challenge that required a coordinated regional response.
Fahmi also stressed the need for governments to consider how their policies influenced people’s choices while ensuring individuals retained the freedom to make informed decisions.
Bali Tech Week, themed “Archipelago Ascending: Advance Together, Innovate Further”, runs from Oct 19 to 23 at the Bali Beach Convention Centre in Sanur. The event brings together policymakers, technology leaders, innovators and investors.
Fahmi was invited by his Indonesian counterpart, Meutya Hafid, to deliver the keynote address during his working visit to Indonesia from Monday to Thursday.
He is scheduled to travel to Jakarta later today to continue his official engagements. – October 20, 2026