Malaysia’s Gen Z leads surge in support for banning children from social media, Ipsos poll finds

A recent Ipsos survey indicates growing support among Gen Z Malaysians for barring children under 14 from social media, with 81% in favor, marking a notable rise from 67% the previous year.

This trend is mirrored across demographics, contributing to a nationwide endorsement increase to 83%.

Malaysia now ranks second globally in supporting age restrictions on social media, amid heightened regulatory efforts to ensure online safety, including age-verification mandates for major platforms.

The study underscores the importance of collaborative enforcement involving tech platforms, parents, and educators to create structured and protective online environments for children.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Gen Z Malaysians, the first generation raised entirely in the digital age, are increasingly spearheading calls to keep children off social media, according to a new survey by global market research firm Ipsos.

The study revealed that 81 per cent of Gen Z respondents in Malaysia agree that children under the age of 14 should be barred from social media platforms both during and outside school hours, marking a sharp jump from 67 per cent recorded a year earlier. This represents the steepest increase in support across any demographic group surveyed.

Support among older cohorts also trended upwards. Gen X backing rose by 13 percentage points to 86 per cent, while Millennial support climbed six points to 85 per cent. Overall, 83 per cent of Malaysian adults now endorse an under-14 ban, up from 72 per cent in 2025.

The findings place Malaysia second among 31 countries surveyed globally in backing social media age curbs, trailing only Indonesia (90 per cent) and well above the global average of 73 per cent.

“[Gen Z] that grew up with social media appears to understand its downsides firsthand, and to recognise that today's children face greater risks than they once did, as AI deepfakes and misinformation blur the line between what is real and what is not,” Ipsos said in its analysis of the data.

The survey polled adults aged 18 to 74, meaning the Gen Z demographic reflects the perspectives of young adults reflecting on their own online upbringing rather than the children directly affected.

Regulatory safeguards underway

The survey coincides with heightened national scrutiny over online safety after Malaysia began enforcing comprehensive regulatory safeguards on June 1.

Under the new licensing framework, major platforms with at least eight million domestic users, including Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube, must implement robust age-verification systems to prevent underage account creation.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said that the regulatory measures are designed to enhance platform accountability.

MCMC deputy director for development Eneng Faridah Iskandar stated on CNA+'s Talking Point on Aug 6 that technology firms deploying commercial products in the open market carry a duty of care to ensure user safety and identify who accesses their services.

She noted that the regulator has documented evidence of minors experiencing online harm, exploitation, and abuse, citing MCMC figures indicating that 70 per cent of Malaysian teenagers have already encountered harmful online material.

Regional approaches to online safety

Ipsos highlighted that age restrictions alone cannot serve as a complete solution, noting that long-term efficacy depends on collaborative enforcement among tech platforms, parents, and educators. The global conversation is progressively pivoting from whether children should have internet access to establishing structured, protective environments.

Across Southeast Asia, regulatory frameworks vary widely. Singapore is preparing enhanced statutory safeguards for users under 18 without implementing a blanket ban, receiving 74 per cent public support. Thailand is evaluating age-based restrictions, registering 54 per cent public backing.

The Malaysian study sampled 501 adults online between June 19 and July 3, including 207 Gen Z respondents. Subgroup breakdowns carry wider margins of error than national-level figures.

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益普索最近的一项调查显示，马来西亚 Z 世代越来越支持禁止 14 岁以下儿童使用社交媒体，81% 的人表示赞成，比上一年的 67% 显著上升。

这一趋势在各个年龄段都有体现，使得全国范围内的支持率上升至 83%。

在加强监管以确保网络安全（包括对主要平台强制进行年龄验证）的背景下，马来西亚目前在全球支持社交媒体年龄限制方面排名第二。

该研究强调了科技平台、家长和教育工作者共同协作的重要性，以便为儿童创造结构化和受保护的在线环境。

吉隆坡，10 月 7 日——据全球市场研究公司益普索 (Ipsos) 的一项最新调查显示，作为第一代完全在数字时代成长起来的马来西亚 Z 世代，越来越多地带头呼吁让孩子们远离社交媒体。

该研究显示，马来西亚81%的Z世代受访者认为，应禁止14岁以下儿童在校内外使用社交媒体平台，这一比例较一年前的67%大幅上升。在所有受访人群中，这一支持率增幅最大。

在年长群体中，支持率也呈上升趋势。X世代的支持率上升了13个百分点，达到86%，而千禧一代的支持率上升了6个百分点，达到85%。总体而言，目前83%的马来西亚成年人支持禁止14岁以下未成年人饮酒，高于2025年的72%。

调查结果显示，在支持社交媒体年龄限制的31个全球国家中，马来西亚排名第二，仅次于印度尼西亚（90%），远高于73%的全球平均水平。

益普索在其数据分析中表示：“伴随社交媒体成长起来的[Z世代]似乎对社交媒体的弊端有切身体会，并且认识到，如今的孩子们面临的风险比以往更大，因为人工智能深度伪造和虚假信息模糊了真实与虚假之间的界限。”

该调查对 18 至 74 岁的成年人进行了民意调查，这意味着 Z 世代人口统计反映的是反思自身网络成长经历的年轻人的观点，而不是直接受到影响的儿童的观点。

监管保障措施正在进行中

这项调查恰逢马来西亚于 6 月 1 日开始实施全面的监管保障措施后，全国对网络安全的关注度显著提高。

根据新的许可框架，拥有至少八百万国内用户的主要平台，包括 Facebook、Instagram、X、TikTok 和 YouTube，必须实施强大的年龄验证系统，以防止未成年人创建账户。

马来西亚通讯及多媒体委员会（MCMC）表示，这些监管措施旨在加强平台问责制。

马来西亚通信与多媒体委员会 (MCMC) 发展部副主任 Eneng Faridah Iskandar 于 8 月 6 日在 CNA+ 的《Talking Point》节目中表示，在公开市场上部署商业产品的科技公司有责任确保用户安全并识别谁在访问其服务。

她指出，监管机构有记录在案的证据表明未成年人遭受网络伤害、剥削和虐待，并援引马来西亚通信与多媒体委员会（MCMC）的数据称，70%的马来西亚青少年已经接触过有害的网络内容。

网络安全的区域性应对措施

益普索强调，仅靠年龄限制无法彻底解决问题，并指出长期有效性取决于科技平台、家长和教育工作者之间的协作执行。全球讨论的焦点正逐渐从儿童是否应该享有互联网接入权转向建立结构化的、受保护的网络环境。

东南亚各国的监管框架差异很大。新加坡正在制定针对18岁以下用户的更完善的法律保障措施，但并未实施全面禁令，该计划获得了74%的公众支持。泰国正在评估基于年龄的限制措施，并获得了54%的公众支持。

这项马来西亚研究于6月19日至7月3日期间在线抽取了501名成年人作为样本，其中包括207名Z世代受访者。与全国层面的数据相比，子群体细分数据的误差范围更大。

不警告，只逮捕：市长表示，吉隆坡市政局就是这样处理停车拉客者的。

午夜后抵达吉隆坡国际机场？凌晨 12 点至凌晨 5 点软件维护期间，巴士将取代机场快线 (Aerotrain)。

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