MBI ENDORSES PRIVACY-PRESERVING AGE VERIFICATION SOLUTION ON ZETRIX PLATFORMS

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- My Blockchain Infrastructure (MBI) Sdn Bhd has endorsed a privacy-preserving age verification solution on the Zetrix platform, aimed at helping social media and messaging services comply with age restriction requirements while minimising the collection of users’ personal data.

In a statement today, MBI said the initiative aligns with global efforts as governments worldwide introduce stricter regulations to better safeguard minors in the online environment, while also addressing public concern over excessive data collection and privacy risks.

In Malaysia, discussions around online harms, child safety and the responsible use of social media have also intensified, with Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil announcing the launch of an industry sandbox on Jan 1 to assess age-assurance solutions, including setting a minimum age of 16 for social media use.

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MBI Chief Executive Officer Azhar Abu Talib said the solution allows platforms to verify users’ ages without handling sensitive personal information

“Age verification must be implemented responsibly. Therefore, MBI is endorsing this age verification capability as a privacy-first, practical approach that helps platform operators meet safety and regulatory expectations while minimising unnecessary handling of personal data,” he said.

Under the solution, users are required to complete a one-time identity verification through government-recognised national identity issuers and verification providers such as MyDigital ID or the National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe).

Following this verification, users will receive a secure digital proof of age that confirms only whether the required age threshold is met and does not include full identity details, copies of identity documents or biometric data.

“When the user signs up for or accesses a social media or messaging platform, they can present this proof of age to the platform. The platform is then able to confirm whether the user is eligible, such as being ‘16 and above’, without receiving unnecessary personal details like full name, address, or identity document images,” read the statement.

MBI added that verification records are kept to the minimum necessary for assurance and audit purposes and are protected by access controls, while sensitive electronic know-your-customer (eKYC) data used during identity checks is deleted on a scheduled basis or within agreed-upon timeframes.

Meanwhile, Zetrix AI Berhad Group Managing Director TS Wong said the system is easy for platforms to adopt and simple for users to complete, keeping privacy at the core.

“Zetrix AI will work with MBI to enable trusted verification that is easy for platforms to adopt and straightforward for users to complete while keeping privacy and data minimisation at the core,” he said.

MBI and Zetrix AI are inviting social media and messaging platforms to explore the solution through briefings and discussions, with pilot programmes and implementation planning available for those preparing to adopt age verification.

-- BERNAMA