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
Compliance Help
Requires content moderation systems covering nine harmful content categories; child-specific safeguards; documented Online Safety Plans submitted to MCMC.
See how NOPE helpsCite This
APA
Malaysia. (2025). Online Safety Act 2025.
Related Regulations
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.
C-63
Would have established Digital Safety Commission with platform duties for seven harmful content categories including content inducing children to harm themselves. Required 24-hour CSAM takedown.
China FR Security Measures
Comprehensive facial recognition regulation requiring consent, protecting minors, restricting public space use, mandating data localization, and requiring filing for large-scale processing (100K+ individuals).
Philippines OSAEC Act
Criminalizes computer-generated and simulated child sexual abuse material, which includes AI-generated imagery. One of few laws globally explicitly addressing synthetic CSAM.
Vietnam AI Law
First comprehensive AI law in Southeast Asia. Risk-management oriented framework with high-risk AI list updated by Prime Minister. Applies extraterritorially to foreign organizations whose AI systems impact Vietnamese users.
Last updated February 17, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.