KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 (Reuters) - Malaysia's telecommunications regulator announced on Monday that it has begun blocking those under the age of 16 from creating accounts on social media platforms, as part of its efforts to protect minors from exposure to harmful online content.

Malaysia thus joins a growing number of countries taking measures to regulate access to online platforms, amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on children's health and safety.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said that, effective today, social media platforms, including Meta Platforms' Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, and Alphabet's YouTube, must conduct age verification against government-issued records.

Social media platforms that fail to comply with these measures could face fines of up to 10 million ringgit ($2.5 million).

The committee said, "This measure is not intended to prevent children from using the internet or to deny them access to technology," but rather to promote responsibility between social media platforms and parents and guardians in protecting minors online.

(1 US dollar = 3.9630 Ringgit)