on social media ban and e-kyc

January 2, 2026 #Published

in 14 days, 4 cases of school violence happened in malaysia

the government's response?

malaysia's considering:

mandatory eKYC
raising age limits from 13 to 16
potentially banning smartphones for under-16s

here's why this might create more problems than it solves

a thread 🧵

context: october 2-14, 2024 - four separate incidents of students being harmed at school [be more detail on the cases, stabbing, etc]

the pattern was horrifying. parents are terrified. the anger is justified.

when kids are getting hurt, you want to DO something immediately. i understand that impulse

parents are backing these measures

many cite "brain rot" from endless scrolling, exposure to harmful content, radicalization

these are real concerns from real people watching their kids struggle

the desire to protect children is 100% legitimate

but here's my worry:

somewhere between "protect our children" and actual policy implementation

we might be building something that doesn't solve the problem

and creates new ones we didn't anticipate

the theory: kids exposed to violent content online → radicalized → violence at schools

the proposed solution: verify everyone's identity with IC numbers

my question: does knowing someone's IC number stop radicalization?

it's not that age verification is a bad idea

kids probably SHOULDN'T have unrestricted access to everything online

the question is: are we doing this in a way that's secure, effective, and doesn't create worse problems?

let's talk about malaysia's data security reality:

december 2024: 17 million ICs leaked to the dark web (still circulating) 72.5% of users have had personal data compromised multiple government sites and databases breached

this isn't ancient history, this is NOW

so when we talk about giving dozens of platforms access to IC data

it's not paranoia to ask: what happens when this leaks?

because based on track record, it's not IF, it's WHEN

and here's the thing about surveillance infrastructure:

you might trust the current government to only use it for child safety

but what about the next government? or the one after that?

once you build the tool, you can't control who uses it or how

we've seen this pattern across asia:

thailand: started with "protect the monarchy" → now arresting students for tweets china: started with "financial compliance" → now full social credit system myanmar: started with "national security" → 1,840+ arrests for online posts

all started with legitimate concerns

malaysia already ran this experiment with SIM card registration

goal: reduce scams and crime seemed reasonable, right?

result: scam losses UP 29%, scam calls UP 82%, created "SIM mule" black markets

but government got a database linking every number to an IC

i'm not saying the government is evil or had bad intentions

i'm saying the solution didn't work for its stated purpose

but it DID create infrastructure that could be used for other things

let's talk about raising the age limit from 13 to 16:

i get it - kids glued to screens, missing real-world development, exposure to harmful content

many parents support this

but have we thought through the implications?

what 13-16 year olds can actually do on social media:

• follow educational content creators on YouTube/TikTok • join study groups and learning communities on Discord • access coding tutorials and tech communities on Reddit/Twitter • find mental health support and resources • connect with mentors and professionals in fields they're interested in

while kids in Singapore, South Korea, Japan are:

building online portfolios at 14 accessing global educational communities at 15 learning from international experts creating content that opens doors

malaysian kids would be... locked out until 16?

cutting kids off from social media isn't just protection

it's limiting their access to the same opportunities that changed my life

to free education, global communities, mentors who actually care, opportunities that don't care about your background

that's not protection, that's putting them behind

this isn't just about safety

it's about opportunity and competitiveness

a 17-year-old malaysian student can't join tech Twitter to learn from developers

but a 14-year-old in Singapore can network with startup founders and engineers

who's more prepared for the future economy?

and here's the practical reality:

blanket bans don't work because determined kids find workarounds

VPNs, borrowed accounts, fake ICs, older siblings' phones

now they're accessing content WITHOUT parental oversight or platform accountability

you've pushed the problem underground where it's harder to monitor

so what WOULD actually work?

here's the thing: we don't need to wait for perfect tech solutions

there are things we can do RIGHT NOW that actually work

1. fix what we have FIRST

before collecting MORE data, secure what already exists

enforce PDPA with real penalties - not slap-on-wrist fines mandate instant breach notifications upgrade government cybersecurity

don't build on a broken foundation

2. regulate platforms, not people

look at the EU Digital Services Act

require algorithm transparency force platforms to audit their recommendation systems remove manipulative features like rage-bait amplification hold THEM accountable for harm, not us for existing

shoutout to @altorithm by @mypocketofpink who are doing crucial research on how algorithms shape experiences and amplify harm

this is the kind of work that should inform policy, not reactive surveillance

check them out: pocketofpink.com/#/altorithm

3. actually invest in education

digital literacy reduces cyberbullying and scams by 72%

SEVENTY TWO PERCENT

make media literacy core curriculum teach kids to spot manipulation and scams train teachers and parents

education beats surveillance every single time

4. strengthen school environments

those four incidents happened AT SCHOOL

mental health support, conflict resolution, early intervention programs

building trust so kids report problems before they escalate

5. THEN consider privacy-preserving tech

zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) for age verification could work

platform sees "this user is 16+" without getting IC, name, address, or any personal data

BUT ZKP takes time to implement properly

transparent audits, independent oversight, corruption-resistant systems

don't rush this part just to look like you're doing something

do the other stuff FIRST while building this right

here's the clear alternative path:

✓ platform accountability for algorithmic harms ✓ investment in digital literacy and mental health
✓ fix existing data security infrastructure ✓ smart regulation that protects without handicapping

THEN when infrastructure is ready: ✓ ZKP-based verification with independent oversight

here's my actual take:

age verification for social media? reasonable

protecting kids from harmful content? absolutely necessary

parents' concerns? 100% valid

the method matters though

traditional eKYC with IC numbers collected by dozens of platforms?

that's maximum risk for minimum benefit

one breach = millions compromised, and our track record suggests breaches are inevitable

blanket age restrictions for teens?

sounds good until you realize you're handicapping our youth's competitiveness

and pushing determined kids toward less supervised alternatives

ZKP-based age verification with strong safeguards?

this could actually work

protects kids, preserves privacy, doesn't create surveillance infrastructure

but needs proper implementation and oversight

platform regulation + digital literacy + school support?

this addresses ROOT CAUSES instead of just symptoms

requires sustained investment but actually prevents harm

we CAN verify age without compromising privacy

we CAN protect children without handicapping their education

we CAN address radicalization without enabling authoritarianism

it just requires doing it RIGHT instead of doing it FAST

i'm not anti-government here

i genuinely believe they want to protect children

i just think we need to pressure them toward solutions that work

without creating bigger problems down the line

because once you build surveillance infrastructure, you can't unbuild it

once you compromise millions of ICs (again), you can't uncompromise them

once you lock kids out of educational resources, you can't uncomopete the disadvantage

let's demand:

• platform accountability for algorithmic harms • investment in digital literacy and mental health • ZKP-based verification with independent oversight • smart regulation that protects without handicapping

this is solveable

but it requires asking the hard questions now

not after we've already built something we can't take back

if you care about this:

share this thread with parents, teachers, policymakers

let's have this conversation BEFORE policy becomes permanent

our voices actually matter in shaping this

malaysia's kids deserve protection from harm

AND access to opportunity

AND privacy

we don't have to choose

we just have to be smart about implementation

the infrastructure we build today shapes the society we live in tomorrow

let's make sure we're building the right thing

for the right reasons

in the right way

/end 🧵