# Malaysia debates MyKad for social media age checks > Experts warn mandatory government ID verification could create cybersecurity risks and enable surveillance of critics. - Title: Malaysia debates MyKad for social media age checks | Shortify - Summary: Experts warn mandatory government ID verification could create cybersecurity risks and enable surveillance of critics. Malaysia's Online Safety Act debate… - Keywords: malaysia, online safety act 2025, mykad, mydigital id, mcmc, age verification, cybersecurity, data privacy, censorship, centre for independent journalism, meta, google - Source: Malay Mail — https://malaymail.com/news/life/2026/09/16/should-social-platforms-require-mykad-for-age-verification-experts-cite-censorship-cybersecurity-concerns/235432 - Author: Milad Hassandarvish - Published: 2026-09-16T18:11:23+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: malaysia, online safety act 2025, mykad, mydigital id, mcmc, age verification, cybersecurity, data privacy, censorship, centre for independent journalism, meta, google ## The age verification debate Malaysia's Online Safety Act 2025 has sparked debate over whether platforms should use government IDs like MyKad or adopt privacy-focused age verification methods. ## Who's weighing in MCMC received feedback from 21 respondents including human rights groups like CIJ and tech companies like Meta, Google, TikTok, and X Corp during public consultations. ## Cybersecurity risks loom large Experts warn Malaysia's history of data breaches makes mandatory ID verification dangerous. The Health Ministry's website was hacked in June. > Malaysia has had serious data-security problems, with repeated leaks and breaches involving personal information ## Censorship fears for critics United Youth Alliance warns linking accounts to personal identity could be abused against whistleblowers, journalists, activists, and government critics. > If every social media account can easily be linked to an individual's identity, that infrastructure could potentially be abused ## Centralized databases raise alarms MCMC's consultation report shows stakeholders worry mandatory government verification could create centralized databases vulnerable to security breaches. ## MyDigital ID lacks protection CIJ's Wathshlah Naidu warns MyDigital ID sits in a vacuum of agencies not covered under the Personal Data Act, leaving user information vulnerable. > This should not be an ID verification approach but an age-assurance approach ## Marginalised users left out Mandatory ID requirements would exclude stateless children, asylum seekers, and refugees who lack national identification documents. > We will exclude a large number of users who don't have national IDs, including stateless children, asylum seekers and refugees ## Surveillance risks increase Linking social media to national IDs could enable government profiling of users and heightened surveillance of civil society organizations doing advocacy work. > Civil society organisations that rely on social media for advocacy would open themselves up to heightened surveillance ## A multi-layered alternative Experts propose starting with self-declarations and behavioral analysis, only using stricter verification when users misrepresent their ages. > If that system fails, platforms could impose more stringent scrutiny ## Don't create new problems Muda's Shah Fariq warns against normalizing excessive personal data collection while trying to solve one problem. > We must be careful that in trying to solve one problem, we do not create another problem ## Singapore's approach Singapore is planning legislation for early 2027 requiring platforms to reduce children's exposure to harmful content without a blanket ban. ## Europe's privacy protections The EU's GDPR requires explicit consent before gathering data and gives citizens the right to erasure, forcing platforms to delete data on request. ## Key takeaway Malaysia's Online Safety Act debate centers on balancing teen protection with privacy, with experts favoring flexible age verification over mandatory government ID.