PMD denies issuing ban on smartphones for children under 16

The Prime Minister’s Department has denied issuing a document to enforce a smartphone ban on those below the age of 16.

In a brief statement, it said the document - which is reportedly circulating on WhatsApp - is false and advised the public against forwarding it.

Last week, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the government is considering such a ban, as well as limiting social media access for those under 16.

These were among the proposals being weighed to curb the perceived rise of bullying and violence in schools after several cases caught national attention.

“The proposal is still being studied, but many countries have already implemented similar measures,” he said.

However, experts have opined that social media bans may not solve the problem and that a different approach to teaching youths how to deal with complex emotions would be more beneficial.

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