Malaysia's pulse on breaking news, politics and business.
A University of Newcastle study finds Australia's pioneering social media ban for under-16s has struggled to curb teen usage, with most adolescents continuing access via fake accounts and alternative methods.
Malaysia has implemented mandatory age-verification mechanisms for social media platforms under the Child Protection Code, which came into force on June 1. Users must be at least 16 years old to create accounts, with verification based on government-issued documents.
European leaders say momentum is building for an EU-wide ban on children's social media use, with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin emphasizing the preference for continent-wide consensus over individual national measures.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has warned social media platforms they face penalties up to RM10 million for failing to implement age-verification measures, as Malaysia aligns with global regulatory standards.
A US appeals court has upheld Ohio's requirement that social media platforms obtain parental consent before allowing children under 16 to use their services, rejecting arguments from tech industry groups that the law violates free speech rights.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce a ban on social media use for under-16s alongside other online safety measures, positioning himself as a defender of families ahead of a contentious G7 summit in France.
Florida's attorney general has sued TikTok for allegedly violating state law that prohibits social media platforms from allowing children under 14 to create accounts. The lawsuit claims TikTok deceives parents about harmful content exposure.