Kuala lumpur: Children are now increasingly exposed to the risk of prolonged cybertrauma following the increase in cases of online sexual exploitation involving threats, emotional manipulation, and the repeated dissemination of abusive material. This situation, if it occurs, will certainly have a profound impact on the mental and psychological well-being of the victims.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the enforcement of age verification requirements for social media account registration through the implementation of the Child Protection Code (CPC) and the Risk Mitigation Code (RMC) under the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA), which began yesterday, is seen as very timely to protect those under the age of 16. Protect and Save the Children executive director Amnani Abdul Kadir stated that the government's move is timely due to worrying cybercrime trends such as online grooming, sextortion, and live streaming of child sexual abuse.
Speaking to Bernama, Amnani highlighted the cunning tactics of perpetrators who often use fake identities on social media platforms and video games to deceive victims. She noted predators often study the behavior, interests, and emotional weaknesses of the victim before initiating fishing tactics through seemingly harmless interactions such as praise, emotional support, or friendship.
Amnani shared a case from February where a child was exploited by her guardian, who manipulated and forced the victim to produce sexual content for live streaming. "Many children are unaware that they are being exploited because this psychological manipulation process occurs slowly. The emotional impact on victims can be very severe, especially when the abusive material is recorded and repeatedly shared online, thus causing lasting trauma to them," she said.
She also mentioned the seizure of almost 500,000 files of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) through Ops Cyber Guardian in April, reflecting the critical level of cyber exploitation of children in Malaysia. She explained that the number of seizures likely represents only a small part of actual cases, as global data from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) recorded more than 312,000 CSAM reports taken action last year, with material found online every 101 seconds.
Touching on the minimum age limit of 16 years for opening a social media account, Amnani emphasized the need for empowering children, parents, and educators to identify risks and act safely online. She advocated for a stronger age verification system, government involvement in tightening laws, increasing technology companies' accountability through "safety by design," and expanding cybersecurity education in schools.
Children's Protection Society Malaysia vice chairman Nawiza Ariff supported the age restriction but warned it must be part of a broader approach, as tech-savvy children can bypass age limits. She highlighted the necessity of parental empowerment, focusing on understanding digital behavior, online risks, privacy settings, and recognizing children's emotional warning signs.
According to her, safeguarding children online requires a holistic approach involving robust legislation, stronger technology company accountability, cyber safety education integration in schools, and sustained national awareness campaigns. "Most importantly, we must create a safe environment for children to speak up without fear, shame, or punishment. Protecting children online is a shared national responsibility," she said.
Starting yesterday, Malaysia enforced age verification requirements for social media account registration to ensure individuals under 16 are no longer allowed to open accounts. Users are required to submit official government-issued identification documents such as MyKad, passport, or MyDigital ID for age verification. This requirement applies to licensed social media services including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.