Malaysia bans social media accounts for children under 16

13 Sept 17:04 Key points summarised by AI

Malaysia has begun enforcing new rules that prohibit children under 16 from having social media accounts, requiring major platforms to implement age-verification systems and block underage users.
The government aims to protect children from harmful content, cyberbullying, and excessive use, with platforms facing penalties of up to 10 million ringgit ($2.5 million) for non-compliance.
This initiative joins a growing global effort to tighten online safety for minors, with several countries already imposing or developing similar age-based restrictions.
While some Malaysian families support the ban for promoting offline development, critics express concerns about potential data privacy breaches, increased state surveillance, and the law's effectiveness due to the absence of penalties for parents.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Today 14:22 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.