Malaysia Pulse delivers breaking news, politics, business, sports and lifestyle coverage from Malaysia and Southeast Asia — trusted, timely and independent.
Malaysia is expanding its legal reach to prosecute child sexual offences committed overseas. The amended Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 will apply to cases involving Malaysian citizens, permanent residents, or child victims with ties to the country.
European leaders are rallying behind plans to restrict children's social media access, with Irish PM Micheál Martin stating momentum is building for continent-wide protections ahead of Ireland's EU presidency.
The European Commission is moving forward with a formal investigation into Meta's Facebook and Instagram, alleging the platforms employ addictive design tactics that harm children's wellbeing through algorithmic manipulation.
Google's YouTube has settled a lawsuit filed by a Florida teenager who claimed the platform harmed his mental health through addictive design. The move comes as over 3,300 similar cases await resolution.
Police in Sungai Petani have initiated investigations into claims that two residents sustained injuries at a local elderly care facility, signalling intensified scrutiny of aged-care standards across the nation.
The European Commission is preparing to escalate its investigation into Meta, alleging that Facebook and Instagram employ design practices deliberately engineered to addict young users. The regulatory action reflects mounting global pressure on social media giants.
An Indonesian domestic helper linked to a widely-shared abuse case has been formally charged with injuring her employer's one-year-old child. The charge was filed in the Sessions Court in Johor Baru.
A Cincinnati-based federal appeals court has reinstated Ohio's Social Media Parental Notification Act, requiring companies to obtain parental permission before children access social media platforms. The ruling marks a significant defeat for the tech industry.
A foreign woman has been charged in Johor Baru Sessions Court with child neglect after her two children fell from a 12th-floor apartment in Tampoi. One child died and another suffered severe injuries.
Florida's attorney general has sued TikTok, alleging the platform violates state law by permitting children under 14 to create accounts and exposing them to harmful content. The state is seeking compliance changes and damages.
Authorities in Seremban have taken a man into custody following allegations that he physically harmed his young stepchild. The two-year-old victim was involved in the incident reported yesterday.
The UK government plans to ban children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, with enforcement targeting platforms rather than young users.
Police arrested a 67-year-old retiree after his 13-year-old granddaughter reported being sexually assaulted multiple times over the course of 2025. The victim disclosed the incidents to her mother.
An eight-year-old girl has died and her ten-year-old brother left critically injured following a fall from a 12th-floor apartment in Johor Baru. Authorities have arrested the children's mother.
Authorities in eastern China have suspended a kindergarten teacher and launched a police investigation after she used a hot glue gun to scald a four-year-old girl's lip during a classroom punishment incident.
A freelance dancer has appeared in a Malaysian court to answer charges related to the sexual abuse of a teenage boy in Beijing. The case centres on allegations of physical sexual abuse last year.
%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fpattern%3E%3C%2Fdefs%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22100%25%22%20height%3D%22100%25%22%20fill%3D%22url(%23ph5id8pg)%22%2F%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22100%25%22%20height%3D%22100%25%22%20fill%3D%22url(%23ph5id8pp)%22%2F%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D%2250%25%22%20y%3D%2250%25%22%20text-anchor%3D%22middle%22%20dominant-baseline%3D%22central%22%20fill%3D%22rgba(255%2C255%2C255%2C0.95)%22%20font-family%3D%22Georgia%2C%20'Times%20New%20Roman'%2C%20serif%22%20font-weight%3D%22700%22%20font-size%3D%22320%22%20letter-spacing%3D%22-0.02em%22%3EPPIM%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
The Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association has endorsed the government's newly enforced age verification requirement for social media users under 16, citing protection against cyber threats and inappropriate content exposure.
A UK government consultation on restricting social media for children under 16 has received more than 80,000 responses, with an overwhelming majority of parents supporting curbs on online platforms.
Malaysia is considering implementing an age 16 minimum for social media access to address rising incidents of online sexual exploitation and cybertrauma affecting young people.
Malaysia has started enforcing age verification requirements for social media accounts, prohibiting those under 16 from registering and requiring identity verification through official documents like MyKad and MyDigital ID.
Florida has become the first state to sue OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming the ChatGPT platform misrepresented its safety and caused harm to minors through violence-related guidance and addictive features.
The British government is considering an Australian-style ban on social media for children under 16, with nine in 10 parents backing the proposal, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has revealed.
The United Nations has cautioned that restricting children's access to social media platforms is not enough to ensure their safety online, calling instead for tech companies to redesign their services with child protection in mind.
Authorities in Kluang have opened a criminal investigation after reports emerged that a childcare educator allegedly compelled a young pupil to ingest chilli water as punishment.
A 44-year-old woman received a five-day jail sentence for shoving an eight-year-old girl against a wall at a Singapore MRT station after the child accidentally bumped into her.
A French school aide went on trial in Paris this week after being accused of sexually abusing kindergarten pupils, marking the first public court hearing since a wave of abuse allegations surfaced in the capital.
Britain's leading medical bodies have warned that social media exposure carries health risks comparable to smoking, urging the government to implement stricter protections for young people online.
Malaysian psychologist Fauziah Saad has warned that insufficient parental engagement and generic online safety advice leave children at heightened risk of sexual exploitation. She emphasises the need for more targeted guidance beyond casual warnings about 'nonsense' content.
Experts warn there is no safe time to leave children or pets in vehicles. If you spot a trapped child or animal, call police or fire services immediately. Breaking windows may be justified in emergencies, but guidance varies by country.
Police have arrested a 31-year-old educator in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a student in Mersing. The suspect was taken into custody yesterday evening as authorities pursue their investigation into the matter.
Approximately 5,000 people in Chattogram clashed with police on Thursday as authorities attempted to detain a man accused of raping a four-year-old girl. The confrontation, which lasted six hours and resulted in a torched police vehicle, reflects mounting public fury over rising cases of violence against women and children in Bangladesh.
Roughly 5,000 protesters in Bangladesh's Chattogram city clashed with police on Thursday over a suspect accused of raping a four-year-old girl, with tensions erupting as the detainee was being transferred to authorities.
Authorities in Johor have arrested a 28-year-old man following an online post that alleged sexual abuse of a primary schoolchild. The post circulated widely across social media platforms before police intervened.
Britain's communications regulator Ofcom has criticized TikTok and YouTube for inadequate action on child safety, with nearly three-quarters of young users still encountering harmful content online.
Authorities in Seremban have arrested a female childminder following the emergence of a viral video depicting alleged mistreatment of a young child. Parents came forward to identify their son in the footage, triggering swift police action.
Two US advocacy groups have petitioned the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Roblox Corporation's mechanics, arguing the platform uses tactics to encourage excessive spending among children through obscured pricing and psychological pressure.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has met with civil society groups to discuss online safety measures for children, including proposed age verification systems for users under 16 and development of a Child Protection Code.
Two children's advocacy organisations have petitioned the US Federal Trade Commission to investigate Roblox, claiming the gaming platform uses deceptive marketing and design features that exploit young users, amid mounting legal pressure on the company.
Malaysia's Women, Family and Community Development deputy minister has stressed the importance of closed-circuit television systems and consistent staff patrols in preventing bullying at care centres and shelters across the country.