Indonesian Minister of Communications Meutya Hafid announced today that accounts belonging to children under 16 on high-risk platforms will begin to be deactivated. This initiative targets major platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. "The reason is clear: Our children face growing threats," Minister Hafid stated. "These risks range from exposure to pornographic content, cyberbullying, online fraud, and internet addiction."

"The government is intervening so that parents no longer have to fight algorithmic giants alone. The implementation of the new regulation will begin on 28/3," she said. The ban will be implemented in phases until all platforms fulfill their compliance obligations.

A woman uses her phone on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 6/3. Photo: AP

Minister Hafid acknowledged that enforcing the regulation would be a significant challenge, causing initial inconvenience as tens of millions of children regularly use the internet. "Children may complain, and parents might feel confused dealing with those complaints," she said, but noted this regulation is the best measure to address the "digital emergency." She emphasized, "We are taking this step to protect children's future. We want technology to make people more humane, not to sacrifice childhood." The Minister asserted that the primary target of the regulation is technology companies, not children or parents, and warned that platforms failing to fulfill their obligation to protect children would face sanctions.

With this latest measure, Indonesia becomes the first country in Southeast Asia to ban social media for children under 16.

This move aligns with growing international concern. A group of European Union (EU) experts began discussions last week on a similar social media ban for children. This follows Australia's action last December, which required TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and other websites to delete accounts of individuals under 16. France, along with Denmark, Greece, and Spain, are pushing for similar actions at the EU level, while India is also considering its own social media ban for adolescents. In Malaysia, Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil stated on 5/3 that children under 16 are not allowed to open social media accounts themselves, though accounts managed by parents on behalf of their children are accepted. The Malaysian government is piloting a legal framework with social media platforms to implement a minimum age of 16 for new account registrations.

Vu Hoang (According to CNA, AFP, Reuters, Straits Times)