Earlier this year, the Child Protection Code (CPC) under the Online Safety Act (ONSA) 2025 came into force, requiring social media platforms to implement electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) and age verification measures to ensure young children cannot create accounts. While this requirement currently only applies to social media, it may expand to cover online gaming platforms as well. Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil has disclosed that the government will examine the feasibility of implementing these systems.
According to the minister, the move will not only consider issues involving underage users, but also the possibility of the abuse of these platforms by extremist, radical, and terrorist groups. For now, the idea seems to be in the early stages, although this is not the first time the government has floated the idea of restricting online gaming platforms. Previously, there was talk of licensing for certain games, with one name specifically mentioned.
One Platform In Particular
Last year, the possibility of banning Roblox cropped up due to child safety concerns. At the time, the government highlighted an incident in Batu Pahat, where a nine-year-old boy allegedly severely injured his six-year-old brother. The child’s actions were reportedly influenced by the gaming platform.
Looking at the bigger picture, Roblox has come under fire for its content and business practices. For those unaware, the platform is built around user-created content, allowing it to host a multitude of games. Unsurprisingly, some users have abused this freedom to upload inappropriate material, among other things.
Given that a considerable portion of its user base consists of children, the lack of adequate moderation has led governments to deem the platform unsafe, with some countries outright banning it. Worth noting that Roblox has since announced several measures to address the child safety issue, including an age-based accounts system and a “Family Zone”.
Implementation In Consideration
Roblox has been in talks with the Malaysian government. According to Fahmi, these discussions have shown that the gaming platforms are ready to cooperate. He went on to note that the issue may only be in terms of user verification and user age verification.
At the moment, it is unclear whether the government will prioritise platforms that are mainly accessed by underage children, or if the requirement will apply to all online games. The implementation could be similar to the social media ban, in which only platforms that meet certain criteria are required to comply. But this is pure speculation at this point. We’ll likely hear more concrete details in the future.
In the meantime, Fahmi asserted that the government will continue to monitor platforms that may be misused. Should the need arise, action will be taken by the authorities, including including the Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
(Source: Bernama)
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