Malaysia is set to introduce new regulations prohibiting children under 13 from owning social media accounts, while Singapore’s parliament has tabled a bill to establish a commission tasked with removing harmful online content, Anadolu Ajansi reports.

Under Kuala Lumpur’s proposal, all social media platforms will be required to implement mandatory identity verification systems to prevent underage users from creating accounts.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said on October 15 that the initiative is aimed at safeguarding children online, strengthening the enforcement of community guidelines, and reducing exposure to scams and harmful digital content, according to state news agency Bernama.

“When I met representatives from social media platforms last month, I made it clear that Malaysia will make identity verification mandatory, especially to prevent children under 13 from having accounts,” Fahmi said, noting that the timeline for enforcement will be announced later. He added that the government will hold a meeting with social media companies next week to discuss immediate implementation steps.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s parliament has introduced a new Online Safety Bill, designed to bolster protections for users and enhance accountability for online misconduct.

According to the Ministry of Law, the bill aims to “strengthen online safety and protect Singaporeans from online harm” by granting victims faster access to remedies and enabling them to seek redress through legal channels. The proposed legislation would establish an online safety commission to oversee a statutory reporting system, introduce new statutory torts allowing victims to pursue civil action, and improve user identity disclosure requirements to hold perpetrators accountable.

A recent survey revealed that 84% of Singaporeans have encountered harmful online content, and 33% have experienced abusive behaviour in the past year, with sexual and violent material among the most common.

The legislation targets issues such as sexual harassment, doxxing, online stalking, image abuse, and child exploitation, with enforcement expected by mid-2026. Measures addressing impersonation and related harms will follow gradually.

The proposed commission would also have the authority to order the removal of harmful content, restrict offending accounts, or allow victims to post replies. “Non-compliance with directions is a criminal offence,” the ministry stated, adding that the commission could also issue access-blocking or app removal orders to curb persistent online harm.