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Indonesia to ban social media for children under 16 from March
Nearly half of Indonesian children under 12 currently have active internet access
The Indonesian government has unveiled a landmark policy to restrict social media access for children under the age of 16.
Announced on Friday, the ministerial regulation aims to combat rising instances of cyberbullying and digital addiction while holding major platforms accountable for rigorous age verification.
Officials cited the detrimental impact of unregulated internet use on the intellectual development and mental well-being of minors as the primary catalyst for the shift.
Meutya Hafid, Indonesia's Minister for Communications and Digital, confirmed the government will “delay access” to social media accounts for those under the age threshold.
Under the new rules, accounts belonging to children under 16 on "high-risk platforms" will be gradually deactivated starting from 28 March.
The process is designed to be incremental, ensuring all digital service providers eventually meet their legal obligations.
Acknowledging the potential for domestic friction, the minister noted: “We realise this may cause discomfort in the beginning.
Children complain and parents may be confused dealing with their complaints.” This intervention comes at a time of unprecedented digital growth in the nation.
Recent surveys indicate that internet penetration in Indonesia reached 79.5% in 2024, representing a population of 221 million users.
Notably, 48% of children under 12 already have web access, frequently using platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
As details of the specific filtering mechanisms remain under wraps, the government maintains that protecting the mental health of the younger generation outweighs the initial inconvenience of these stringent new controls.