Indonesia says it will ban social media and other widely used online platforms for children under 16, becoming the latest country to introduce restrictions aimed at shielding young people from online harm. Meutya Hafid, the country’s communications and digital affairs minister, announced that accounts belonging to users under 16 on platforms considered “high risk” will be deactivated starting from 28 March.
She said the restriction will initially apply to platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox, adding that the move would make Indonesia the first non-Western nation to delay children’s access to digital spaces based on age. There was no immediate reaction from the companies affected by the policy. Hafid said young people in Indonesia are increasingly exposed to serious online threats, including pornography, cyberbullying, scams and addiction, which she described as the biggest concern.
She added that the government is stepping in so that parents do not have to face the influence of powerful algorithm-driven platforms alone.According to a 2023 report by children’s charity Unicef, about half of the 510 Indonesian children surveyed said they had encountered sexual images on social media. Amanda Kusumo, a 42-year-old working mother of two, told the BBC that the policy would help ease the burden on parents trying to monitor their children’s online activities.
She said that with limited time to constantly track what her teenage son is doing online, government regulations like the ban could help reduce parents’ worries. Kusumo also expressed confidence that the government’s decision would ultimately benefit both children and parents. Her 17-year-old son, Matt Joseph, said he understands the reasoning behind the ban but believes there are arguments both for and against it. He noted that many children struggle to manage their screen time and control their phone use, but argued that completely blocking platforms considered risky may not be the best approach.
Joseph said social media plays a major role in young people’s entertainment, suggesting that if the government wants them to use it less, it should also provide alternatives.He proposed improving the quality of television content so that young people have entertainment designed for them that can both educate and entertain. Indonesia’s child protection agency said it could not comment on the government’s proposal until it had examined the details of the regulation.
Nurul Izmi of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) said she had not yet seen the final draft but noted that protecting children online involves more than simply imposing age limits. She pointed out that the European Union has taken steps to ban targeted advertising based on profiling children. Izmi also warned that age verification systems could require collecting sensitive personal data from children, stressing the need to ensure such data is handled according to proper safeguards.
She added that while protecting children online is important, it should not ignore their rights to information and freedom of expression.According to her, any restrictions on rights must follow principles of legality, necessity and proportionality under human rights standards. The announcement comes after Australia became the first country to require social media companies to block users under 16 from creating accounts, a policy introduced in December and closely observed by governments around the world.
Some critics have urged Australia to extend its restrictions to online gaming platforms such as Roblox and Discord, which are currently not included.There are also concerns that age-verification technologies could mistakenly block adults while still failing to detect underage users. Spain is among the countries that have indicated they may adopt similar measures.
Earlier this week, the United Kingdom launched a public consultation on whether to introduce a comparable ban, inviting young people, parents and guardians to submit their views before the government decides on the proposal. Indonesia has previously taken action to limit access to explicit material online, including blocking the artificial intelligence chatbot Grok. Other online platforms associated with pornographic content, including OnlyFans and Pornhub, have also been restricted in the country.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/
