Meta urged to roll out child safety features globally, says Malaysian minister

Malaysia is joining growing international pressure on Meta to universalise safety features designed to protect users under 18 on its flagship platforms Facebook and Instagram. The Malaysian government believes the technology giant should implement these safeguards consistently across all markets rather than limiting rollouts to specific regions. The push reflects broader concerns among policymakers across Asia and beyond about the adequacy of protections for young users on social media. Meta has introduced various safety tools in recent years, including parental controls, privacy settings tailored for younger users, and content moderation measures. However, inconsistent global deployment of these features has drawn criticism from child safety advocates and government officials who argue that minors deserve uniform protection regardless of their location. Malaysia's stance aligns with regulatory movements in other jurisdictions seeking stronger accountability from major technology platforms on youth safeguarding.