On March 28, Indonesia officially implemented new regulations banning children under 16 from accessing digital platforms that could pose risks such as pornography, cyberbullying, and online fraud.
This move makes Indonesia the first country in Southeast Asia to ban children from having accounts on popular platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.
This decision follows similar measures that Australia implemented last year to help families regain control from tech giants and protect teenagers. The Indonesian government said the implementation of these restrictions would be gradual until all platforms are fully compliant.
Social media has a negative impact on children's mental health
This new regulation is expected to impact around 70 million children in Indonesia, a country with a total population of approximately 280 million.
Indonesian Minister of Communications and Digital Technology, Meutya Hafid, emphasized the strictness of the law when she stated on March 27: "The government has instructed all digital platforms operating in Indonesia to immediately adjust their products, features, and services to comply with current regulations. There will be no compromise on compliance, and all business entities operating in Indonesia are required to comply with Indonesian law."
According to Ms. Meutya, high-risk platforms are identified based on factors such as the ease with which children can be exposed to strangers, potential predators, and harmful content, as well as the level of risk of data exploitation and security fraud.
Despite her determination to implement the measure, the minister acknowledged that forcing platforms to comply with and report on the deactivation of accounts belonging to children under 16 is a daunting task. She added: "This is certainly a difficult task. But we must take steps to save our children. It's not easy. However, we must see it through."
In fact, studies have shown that social media use can negatively impact children's mental health, causing symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, some experts also note that these platforms can still offer learning benefits if used appropriately.
Diena Haryana, founder of the non-profit organization Sejiwa, emphasized: "We also need to remember that children need to learn how to use digital technology at the right time, at the right age, and with the right guidance."
Community consensus and collaborative technology teams
While many children are worried about losing access to online entertainment, parents have expressed strong support for the Indonesian government's decision.
Leni Sinuraya, a 47-year-old parent in Jakarta, believes that parents are gradually losing control over the encroachment of social media platforms. Experts, however, encourage schools and parents to create more engaging real-world activities to help children gradually adapt to moving away from the virtual world.
On the service provider side, some platforms have begun to respond to Indonesia's regulations. Elon Musk's X platform has updated its online safety information page in Indonesia, stating that 16 is the minimum age and clarifying that this is a requirement of local law, not their choice.
Meanwhile, YouTube, owned by Google, has stated its readiness to participate in the regulatory self-assessment process to demonstrate its safety standards. TikTok has also committed to taking the necessary steps as required by regulators and continuing to strengthen measures to protect its community.
Currently, in addition to Australia and Indonesia, other countries such as Spain, France, and the United Kingdom are also considering or implementing similar measures to restrict children's access to social media due to concerns about uncontrolled online content.