09/06/2026
✅ Last year, we published a call to “raise the age of internet adulthood”, in our article written by experts, arguing that children deserve stronger protections in a digital world that has evolved far faster than the safeguards around it. On 1st June 2026, 🇲🇾 Malaysia took an important step in that direction.
📱 The country’s new online safety regulations are now in effect, introducing stronger protections for children and 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 to create safer digital spaces. We welcome this move and hope it marks the beginning of meaningful, consistent enforcement.
However, alongside safer platforms, 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀, 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 🏞️ 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀.
📢 Now comes the equally important work of ensuring these protections are implemented effectively and that our children are supported both online and offline.
Published in October 2025, read What We Don’t See is Harming Our Children: The Smartphone Blackhole: bit.ly/smartphoneblackhole
