Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced at a weekly press conference that the government will ban children under 16 from accessing certain social media platforms, citing rising cases of cyber-bullying and online child grooming. The policy will target specific applications deemed highest-risk and will be developed in consultation with the platforms’ international owners, who will be required to modify their services to comply with Maldivian law. Muizzu said the government intends to draw on Australia’s existing age-verification regime as a model, and that the new rules will require amendments to the country’s current cyber-safety legislation.
Muizzu framed the move as consistent with the Maldives’ character as “a small society anchored in Islamic principles,” and said protecting children online has long been a pressing concern for parents both locally and internationally. He stressed that the ban would not restrict children’s access to educational content or online skill-building — the aim, he said, is a safer digital environment rather than a retreat from digitization. The government is targeting finalization of the regulatory framework within the next year following a period of public consultation, with Muizzu expressing hope to see practical results before the end of 2026.