Malaysia Reviews Online Gaming Landscape for Child Protection
Malaysia is reviewing its online gaming landscape, with a focus on protecting children. The government is exploring licensing and identity verification for online games and apps, currently not subject to such regulations. This move follows a recent incident involving Roblox, a popular online game platform.
The Ministry of Communications and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) are assessing the best approach to safeguard young users. This includes exploring digital ID verification using MyKad, passports, or MyDigital ID to confirm users' age and identity.
Parents are seen as the first line of defence in keeping children safe online. However, the accessibility of Roblox to children on other applications, despite certain restrictions for under-13s, has raised concerns. The incident in Batu Pahat, where a nine-year-old allegedly attacked his six-year-old sibling over a Roblox argument, has further highlighted these issues. The government is now reviewing the gaming ecosystem for a comprehensive policy.
Roblox is introducing age verification using artificial intelligence (AI), and MCMC will discuss this mechanism further. Currently, licensing applies only to social media platforms and messaging systems, not gaming apps. The government aims to change this and ensure online games fall under a licensing regime.
The Malaysian government is committed to protecting children online, with a focus on the gaming ecosystem. It is exploring licensing and identity verification for online games and apps, with Roblox's AI age verification being a key discussion point. Parents, meanwhile, are reminded of their crucial role in keeping children safe in the digital world.
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