Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil expressed that the matter of TikTok account ownership by children under the age of 13 is under consideration to be raised with the management of the social media platform.
He voiced concerns about the ownership of TikTok accounts by individuals in this age bracket, highlighting that TikTok’s community guidelines explicitly state that users must be 13 years or older to have an account, according to The Edge Malaysia.
Fahmi noted that despite the guidelines, there is a disconcerting prevalence of primary school children with TikTok accounts, particularly in his constituency (Lembah Pantai).
He emphasised the need for monitoring children’s internet activities, citing the potential influence of unhealthy trends on social media platforms like TikTok.
Addressing the situation, Fahmi mentioned the possibility of seeking an explanation from TikTok’s management regarding the enforcement of their guidelines.
Additionally, he stated that discussions with the Attorney-General would be initiated to explore the necessity of legal action against TikTok’s management concerning account ownership by children, a step taken by other countries.
In response to inquiries about improvements following reports of unsatisfactory operational compliance with Malaysian laws, Fahmi acknowledged that TikTok has made progress.
However, he mentioned that specific actions are currently under consideration in collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Fahmi stressed the urgency of these actions due to the rampant misuse of the TikTok platform, citing concerns related to issues such as the culture of extremism and ‘takfirism,’ which could pose a threat to national harmony.
