Under the proposed law, Australians under 16 years of age will be prohibited from setting up accounts on all major social media sites. Photographer: Alicia Windzio/picture alliance/Getty Images 
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Sunday the government was reviewing mechanisms used to impose age restrictions for social media use in Australia and other nations, citing a need to protect youths from online harms such as cyberbullying, financial scams, and child sexual abuse.
"We hope by next year that social media platforms will comply with the government's decision to bar those under the age of 16 from opening user accounts," he told reporters, according to a video of his remarks posted online by local daily The Star.
The effects of social media on children's health and safety have become a growing global concern, with companies including TikTok, Snapchat, Google GOOGL.O and Meta Platforms META.O - the operator of Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp - facing lawsuitsin the United States for their role in fueling a mental health crisis.
In Australia, social media platforms are poised to deactivate accounts registered to users under 16 next month, under a sweeping ban for teenagers that is being closely watched by regulators around the world.
France, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Greece are also jointly testing a template for an age verification app.
Malaysia's neighbour Indonesia said in January it planned to set a minimum age for social media users, but later issued a less stringent regulation requiring tech platforms to filter negative content and impose stronger age verification measures.
Malaysia has put social media companies under greater scrutiny in recent years in response to what it claims to be a rise in harmful content, including online gambling and posts related to race, religion and royalty.
Platforms and messaging services with more than 8 million users in Malaysia are now required to obtain a license under a new regulation that came into effect in January.
(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Additional reporting by Stanley Widianto in Jakarta; Editing by David Stanway)