Government ID Checks For Social Media Sound Simple, But Experts Have Some Concerns

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Okay, by now most of us have probably heard about Malaysia’s new Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA), which is changing how social media platforms operate and, eventually, how some of us use them.

According to the new rules, platforms with at least 8 million users in Malaysia—basically all the big ones like Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and others—will have to verify users’ ages.

And that process may involve the use of official government-issued IDs such as MyKad, MyDigital ID, and passports.

So while much of the discussion has focused on the topic of the social media “ban” for underage minors, the rules actually affect everyone. And that’s where things get a little more complicated.

Because we’re not just talking about who gets to use social media anymore, but also how our personal data is handled, what we can say online, and how much power platforms and regulators should have over what appears on our feeds.

The Line Between Online Safety & Seclusion

So nobody’s really arguing that minors need to be protected online. Cases of cyberbullying, violent content, misinformation, scams, impersonation, and online sexual exploitation have all been well documented here in Malaysia.

But whether blanket bans and mandatory government ID verification (or e-KYC for short) are actually the answer is another story.

For starters, there’s the question of whether kids and teenagers who really want to get online will simply find another way around the rules.

They could use an adult’s account by borrowing someone else’s device, create a fake account or fire up a VPN (virtual private network).

And if enough people are looking for ways around the restrictions, someone will probably see an opportunity to make money from it.

That could mean a market popping up around age-verified accounts, fake identities or other workarounds to get access to mainstream platforms.

There’s also the possibility of kids simply moving somewhere else. Young people have always been early adopters of new platforms, often moving on when an app becomes too crowded, too restrictive or, well, too full of us boring adults.

If restrictions simply exclude children from mainstream platforms, there is a strong likelihood they will move to less regulated or harder-to-monitor spaces. This reduces visibility, weakens protections, and makes it more difficult to intervene when harm occurs.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Malaysia Representative, Robert Gass via The Edge Malaysia

So if the goal is to keep kids away from harmful online spaces, they might just end up somewhere potentially more dangerous instead.

What About Data Privacy?

Just checking if you’re old enough sounds simple. But at this scale, age verification means collecting and storing sensitive personal data for every user.

And that’s where things get a little messy because, well… Malaysia already has a pretty huge data privacy problem.

According to one report, 72% of Malaysians who checked their personal data online found that it had already been compromised, with names, phone numbers, addresses, and emails among the most commonly leaked details.

As far as data breaches go, we ranked eighth globally in 2023, with nearly 495,000 leaked accounts, while more recent figures placed us fourth in Southeast Asia and 31st globally for compromised accounts.

We also ranked sixth in Southeast Asia for cyberattacks, accounting for around 10% of attacks in the region.

And stolen Malaysian information has also made its way onto the dark web. So the concern around collecting more personal data isn’t happening in a vacuum.

Plus, several government websites, including the Health Ministry’s, were reportedly compromised this year, too.

Civil society groups and several concerned critics have warned that requiring users to verify their identities through government-issued documents could create more opportunities for personal information to fall into the wrong hands.

Verification using government-issued documents, such as MyKad, passports, and MyDigital ID, inherently involves expanding surveillance technology and personal data collection processes by proprietary actors. It is likely to be exploited by government, private companies, and malicious actors alike.

Joint Letter to the Prime Minister of Malaysia on the Proposed Social Media Ban for Under-16s via ARTICLE 19

Legal experts have also previously raised concerns over the use and protection of government IDs, and warned that a compromise could leave people at a “terrible disadvantage and danger of loss and damage”, while giving us limited options for legal recourse.

So if even more personal information is going to be handled on a much larger scale, it’s only fair to ask how do we make sure it actually stays safe.

What About Marginalised Communities?

There’s another problem with making official ID part of the verification process. Not everyone has one, or the tech know-how to get through the online check.

While estimates vary, Malaysia is believed to have between 1.2 million and 3.5 million undocumented migrants. Other figures, meanwhile, show more than 200,000 refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless people in the country.

But they are not the only people who may find stricter digital identity requirements difficult.

Elderly people may struggle with digital services, while there are those who choose to remain anonymous online for privacy and safety reasons and don’t want to reveal their real-world identities.

That’s a lot of people whose circumstances may not fit neatly into a verification system built around standard government-issued IDs.

Limiting access to social media platforms undermines their ability to participate in public access to essential information and connect with support networks. In practice, such a policy could widen existing inequalities and reinforce systemic barriers that already leave vulnerable communities behind.

Joint Press Statement on e-KYC via Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)

So for someone who doesn’t have things the system expects, verifying one’s age may be easier said than done.

And are we really expecting every Atuk, Ah Ma and Paati, plus all those anonymous fan and stan accounts posting about their latest obsessions to jump through the same digital hoops just to prove they’re old enough to be there?

Who Gets To Decide What’s What?

If content moderation gets too heavy-handed, Malaysians could end up seeing fewer opposing views and opinions online, which could make it harder to hold those in power to account.

And this could also mean giving platforms and regulators more say over what stays up and what gets taken down.

Who can define this [definition of harmful content], the MCMC or the minister? … Let’s not drag Malaysia into an era of digital dictatorship…

Pasir Mas Member of Parliament Ahmad Fadhli Shaari via The Star

Additionally, young people could also lose more than just access to social media itself. For many, these platforms are where they discover things, build connections and express themselves.

Digital platforms can provide vital opportunities for learning, connection, play, and self-expression. Any measure to protect children must, therefore, balance safety with their rights to participation, information, and privacy.

UNICEF Malaysia

So what happens when we take away spaces that have become such a big part of how the next generation learns, connects, and finds their voice.

The Internet Isn’t Going Anywhere, Right?

ONSA is now moving from discussion to implementation, and that is where things could get a lil iffy.

While keeping minors off social media is one thing, making the system work without creating a whole new set of problems is another.

As these rules take shape, the bigger challenge will be finding the right balance between keeping people safe online and protecting the privacy, freedom, and access that come with being online in the first place.

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