KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 27 -- Malaysia is moving to implement a blanket ban on the use of social media for those under the age of 16, starting 2026.

The tighter regulations were mooted amid the recent spate of crime cases involving Malaysian schools, including the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old girl in Petaling Jaya and several incidents of sexual violence in schools across the country.

Malaysia is expected to closely follow the Australian model, which became the world's first country to bar those under the age of 16 from having social media accounts last year.

Australia is expected to fully enforce the ban on December 10.

The Malaysian government has not specified the details of the proposed ban.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadz...