Malaysia OSA
Online Safety Act 2025
Requires licensed platforms to implement content moderation systems, child-specific safeguards, and submit Online Safety Plans. Nine categories of harmful content regulated.
Jurisdiction
Malaysia
Enacted
May 6, 2025
Effective
Jan 1, 2026
Enforcement
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
Passed Dec 2024; Royal Assent May 6, 2025; published May 22, 2025; commencement date Jan 1, 2026 (expected but pending Minister's gazette notification)
Malaysia AGCWhy It Matters
Southeast Asian platform regulation trend. Broad "harmful content" definitions create compliance uncertainty—monitor enforcement patterns.
Recent Developments
Royal Assent May 6, 2025; gazetted May 22, 2025. Civil society groups (Amnesty Malaysia, ARTICLE 19) have raised concerns about MCMC's broad powers and potential for censorship.
At a Glance
Applies to
Harms addressed
Requires
Who Must Comply
- Online platforms requiring MCMC licensing
Obligations fall on:
Safety Provisions
- Licensed platforms must implement content moderation systems
- Child-specific safeguards required
- User safety tools mandatory
- Online Safety Plans submitted to MCMC
- Nine categories of "harmful content" regulated (CSAM, financial fraud, obscene/indecent content, harassment, violence/terrorism, child self-harm, ill-will/hostility, dangerous drugs)
Compliance & Enforcement
Key Dates
Jan 1, 2026
Online Safety Act comes into force
Jul 1, 2026
Full compliance expected (6-month transition)
Penalties
MYR 10M
View on map
Malaysia
Focus Areas
Cite This
APA
Malaysia. (2025). Online Safety Act 2025.
Related Regulations
Singapore OSRA
Creates a dedicated Online Safety Commission (OSC) with powers to order takedowns and disable access, establishes statutory torts providing victims of online harms with direct civil remedies against platforms and perpetrators.
AU Online Safety Act
Grants eSafety Commissioner powers to issue removal notices with 24-hour compliance. Basic Online Safety Expectations (BOSE) formalize baseline safety governance requirements.
SG Online Safety Code
Under Broadcasting Act framework, requires major social media services to implement systems reducing exposure to harmful content. Child safety is key driver.
MX Safe Digital Environments Decree
Mexican presidential decree, binding nationwide, that prohibits digital platforms from giving children and adolescents access to, exposure to or recommendations of seven listed content categories, including suicide, self-harm and eating disorders, and requires age assurance beyond self-declaration, parental supervision tools, strictest-by-default settings for new accounts, periodic risk assessments and a 24/7 law-enforcement contact point.
Brazil ECA Digital
Comprehensive child digital safety law applying to any IT product or service directed at or likely to be accessed by minors in Brazil, with extraterritorial reach.
EU DSA Minors Guidelines
Commission guidelines under DSA Article 28(1) establishing measures for online platforms to protect minors, including age assurance, default privacy settings, anti-addictive design restrictions, recommender system safeguards, and protections against grooming and exploitation.
Last updated February 17, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.