Beyond Bans: Parental Role Crucial In Protecting Teens Online, Say Experts

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- While the government is working to strengthen online safety, experts say parents must step up by improving their digital literacy and building stronger relationships with their children to better safeguard them from online harm.

Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (Content Forum) chief executive officer Mediha Mahmood said that despite ongoing enforcement efforts, parents need to foster open communication with their children, especially teenagers, regarding social media use.

“The discussion now is about finding a middle ground, where parents also play a role, particularly with older teens. As they will inevitably be exposed to social media, they should be guided rather than completely restricted from that space,” she said, as she emphasised the importance of communication as simply imposing rules without explanation would be unlikely to be effective.

“The most important thing is for parents to communicate with their teens. In this day and age, even as adults, telling someone ‘don’t do it just because I said so’ does not work. Parents need to have conversations with their teens about the risks, how they can be protected, and why these measures matter,” she told reporters during TikTok’s #ThinkTwice Training on Teens' Digital Well-Being here today.

The #ThinkTwice Training is a series of train-the-trainer workshops aimed at equipping community champions, including parents, content creators, academics and civil society organisations with practical, hands-on experience in online safety.

Mediha added that parents must also equip themselves with the necessary digital knowledge, tools and understanding of safety features to better protect their children online.

Meanwhile, Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) honorary secretary Tunku Munawirah Putra said parents should educate their children on safety features and risks associated with social media, rather than relying solely on bans.

“At the end of the day, a ban is still a ban. If they are not safe, they will find other ways, such as using VPNs. Then what? Do you think they are truly safe? You have to teach them the right way to stay safe. Offline communication is equally important, as parents are a source of trust for their children,” she added.

Malaysia’s Online Safety Act (ONSA), which came into force on Jan 1 this year, also introduces a framework focusing on child safety.

Among its key measures are clearer responsibilities for online platforms and an age verification mechanism to prevent children under 16 from opening social media accounts, thereby enhancing their protection online.

-- BERNAMA