KUALA LUMPUR — While Malaysia’s Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) strengthens regulation of digital platforms, authorities stress that protecting children online cannot rely on legislation alone.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said minors remain highly vulnerable in digital spaces, making parental involvement, education, and community awareness equally critical.
“Evidence indicates that children and adolescents face heightened risks in digital environments,” MCMC said, citing a 2022 UNICEF study, which found that about 100,000 Malaysian children experienced online sexual exploitation and abuse within a year. The same study revealed that many cases go unreported.
“About half of affected children did not disclose the incident, suggesting that the actual prevalence may be higher,” the commission added.
According to MCMC, children are more susceptible to online manipulation due to developmental factors and exposure to harmful content and strangers on digital platforms.
To address this, the government is promoting a broader approach that goes beyond enforcement under ONSA.
“Protecting minors online is a shared responsibility that combines enforcement with education, parental involvement and community awareness,” MCMC said.
A key initiative is the Kempen Internet Selamat, aimed at building digital resilience among Malaysians, particularly children. Since its launch in 2025, the campaign has reached over 472,000 students across more than 9,000 schools and higher education institutions, alongside more than 426,000 participants through community programmes nationwide.
“This includes raising awareness of emerging threats such as child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and risks linked to AI-generated content, including manipulated images, deepfakes, and grooming tactics carried out through fake online personas,” MCMC said.
Parents are encouraged to take an active role at home by setting controls, managing privacy settings, and guiding children on responsible online behaviour. Awareness efforts also ensure the public knows how to report harmful content through platforms, MCMC channels, or law enforcement when necessary.
Looking ahead, the commission said efforts will be expanded through continued engagement with schools and communities.
“Enforcement establishes accountability, while digital literacy empowers families and communities to recognise risks and respond effectively,” MCMC said.
Earlier, similar views were echoed by the chairperson of the Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE), Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, who emphasised that the Act cannot operate effectively on its own.
“From a parental and education standpoint, the Online Safety Act is fundamentally about protecting children in an environment that has outpaced safeguards,” she said.
She noted that measures such as restricting access to social media platforms for those under 16 align with the Act’s objectives but must be supported by broader efforts.
“Restricting under-16s from platforms like TikTok and Instagram aligns with that goal, but it cannot stand alone,” Noor Azimah said. — April 5, 2026