Malaysia and France should team up to protect kids online, says French official

Sarah El Haïry, the French High Commissioner for Children, has proposed that Malaysia and France collaborate on a global coalition to enhance online child safety. She emphasized that digital safety is a shared, cross-border challenge, stressing the need for governments to jointly protect children’s rights in the digital sphere, rather than viewing it solely as a national responsibility.

El Haïry advocated for a "child-safe-by-design" framework, which requires digital platforms to integrate child protection measures from the initial stages of development. This approach aims to embed safety features directly into products, including those leveraging artificial intelligence, thereby reducing the need for subsequent corrective actions and allowing children to benefit from technological advancements securely. She views age limits and verification as protective measures, intended to establish a "new right" for children in digital spaces.

In parallel, Malaysia has adopted a regulatory approach to online child protection. Its Online Safety Act 2025, effective January 1, and the Child Protection Code (CPC), effective June 1, 2026, set a minimum age of 16 for social media account ownership. These regulations mandate that social media platforms implement age verification mechanisms, utilizing official documents like MyKad and passports, to prevent underage registration. Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil noted this strategy places a greater onus on digital platforms to ensure child safety.