Law needed to curb overexposure of children in media, says Nancy

Law needed to curb overexposure of children in media, says Nancy

PETALING JAYA: Women, family and community development minister Nancy Shukri has called for a bill to regulate how children are portrayed or exposed in digital and broadcast media.

Nancy said while many other countries already have strong legal frameworks in place, Malaysia currently lacks specific legislation on the matter.

“We need to do the same,” she told reporters during an event in Kuching.

She said her ministry is ready to provide input to the legal affairs division of the Prime Minister’s Department, the digital ministry, and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission in drafting such a law.

She said a recent United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) report revealed that 40% of children in Malaysia do not know how to protect themselves when using the internet, while 83% are exposed to various online risks due to insufficient protection.

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Nancy said the government will also hold discussions with Unicef and other countries to gather feedback regarding children’s digital safety issues.

Among the efforts currently being implemented are awareness campaigns on social media and television advising parents not to overexpose their children in the media for safety reasons.

“We do not encourage parents to overly expose their children on social media just because they think their child is cute, as this can pose serious safety risks,” she said.

Nancy also emphasised the importance of school visits to educate students, teachers, and parents about the dangers and impacts of social media and digital technology on children.