A new Ipsos Malaysian Education Monitor 2025 survey has found that the majority of Malaysians support banning social media for children under 14, but opinions are divided when it comes to restricting smartphones.
Conducted from 20 June to 4 July 2025, the study revealed that seven in ten Malaysians back proposals to prohibit social media use for children below 14. The findings also showed that 71% of respondents globally, and 72% in Malaysia, believe social media affects children’s education and should be limited. Only 25% globally and 24% in Malaysia disagreed with the view.
However, the idea of banning smartphones in schools drew mixed reactions both in Malaysia and worldwide. According to the Ipsos monitor, only 52% of Malaysians supported the proposal, compared with 55% globally. Nearly four in ten Malaysians opposed banning smartphones at school — a higher proportion than the global average of 30%.
Ipsos noted that many parents view smartphones as essential for safety and maintaining constant communication with their children. As a result, concerns are focused more on the content children access rather than the devices themselves.
The study involved 23,700 adults under 75 years old across 30 countries, including 500 respondents from Malaysia.
