Malaysia will study the suitability of extending electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) and age verification requirements to online gaming platforms such as Roblox, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said.
He said the government would consider various factors, including concerns involving underage users and the potential misuse of such platforms by extremist groups and individuals involved in terrorism.
Fahmi said discussions with Roblox since last year indicated that the company was willing to cooperate, with user identity and age verification potentially being the main issues to address.
“We will examine the suitability of extending eKYC and age verification measures to platforms such as Roblox,” he told reporters after a document exchange ceremony for RM5.2 billion in financing for Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) on Monday.
He was responding to remarks by former Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay on the issue, which also involves underage children.
Fahmi said the government, including through the National Security Council, continuously monitored platforms that could be exploited by extremist groups.
He added that the Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) would take action whenever necessary.
“We will consider various aspects, but if swift action is required, the authorities will certainly take it,” he said.
In a separate development, Fahmi said he would discuss age restrictions for social media users with his Indonesian counterparts during an upcoming visit to the country.
He was scheduled to depart for Bali on Monday afternoon before travelling to Jakarta on Tuesday to attend the 2026 World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) and hold several meetings with officials overseeing communications, digital affairs and culture.
Fahmi said Malaysia and Indonesia had their own regulatory frameworks, with both similarities and differences, and the discussions would examine the challenges faced when engaging social media platform providers.
His meeting with Indonesia’s Culture Minister would also cover Malaysia’s efforts to bring local intellectual property and creative content to Indonesian audiences.
Fahmi noted that Malaysian productions were already available on streaming platforms such as Viu, where they were also watched by audiences in Indonesia.
The two sides would explore ways to strengthen links between the Malaysian and Indonesian cinema industries, as well as discuss productions and online content distribution.
“We will also discuss, God willing, opportunities for cooperation between production companies in film and creative content,” he said.
