The proposed policy, expected to mirror Australia’s “delay not ban” model, would place existing accounts belonging to those under 16 under parental supervision rather than deleting them completely.
Unicef Malaysia has warned that children routinely encounter bullying, grooming and sexual exploitation online, while official figures point to a rising scale of harm.
Bernama reported that 1,578 requests were submitted between January 2022 and Feb 15 this year for the removal of extremely offensive content involving children, with 96% successfully taken down.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) received 8,399 cyberbullying-related complaints from January to October last year, or about 27 cases a day.
Round-the-clock risks
Psychotherapist Dr Prem Kumar said the nature of harm has shifted dramatically in the digital age, with social media amplifying risks in ways traditional environments never could.
“Today it’s 24 hours, anytime, anywhere. There is no such thing as school hours or specific places any more,” he told FMT, warning that anonymity and scale make children far more exposed while weakening accountability.
Psychologist Joel Low said the scale of exposure alone can be damaging. “The access social media provides is overwhelming, even for adults. For children, it can seriously affect self-esteem and their sense of self,” he said.
Prem said early exposure to abuse could disrupt identity formation during adolescence.
“At stages where they should build trust and self-esteem, it becomes mistrust and low self-esteem,” he said, adding that these effects can carry into adulthood, affecting relationships and emotional stability.
Growing concern among parents
Parents share similar concerns, with Rebecca Lee, a mother of a 10-year-old, saying children lack the maturity to navigate online risks.
“Most under-16s don’t yet have the maturity to spot these dangers or protect themselves,” she said, adding that even passive use, such as scrolling or watching videos, can expose children to disturbing or sexual content without warning.
“Kids can stumble upon harmful content at any time. It can leave them confused or curious in unhealthy ways.”
Lee said while tools such as parental controls and reporting systems are useful, they are not enough to fully protect children.
Not a complete solution
Experts say the proposed delay should be seen as part of a broader harm-reduction strategy rather than a complete solution. Low described it as “a good start,” but said it must be supported by stronger awareness and education efforts.
Prem said regulation alone would not address the root of the problem. “Banning alone has never worked. It has to be about guidance, digital literacy and shared responsibility,” he said.
Lee said it was important to educate and prepare children early before they are exposed to social media. “No app or filter can replace parental relationships. It’s about building trust and making sure kids know they can come to their parents anytime something feels off,” she said.