Indonesia Bans Social Media for Under-16s
Indonesia will block under-16 users from platforms like TikTok and Instagram as part of a new social media ban for kids.
Indonesia says it will ban social media and other popular online platforms for children under 16. It becomes the latest country to impose restrictions aimed at protecting young people from online abuse.
The country's Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, announced that accounts belonging to children under 16 on "high-risk" platforms will be deactivated starting March 28.
"This will start with platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox," Hafid said. He added that the ban will make Indonesia "the first non-Western country to restrict children's access to digital spaces based on age."
There was no immediate response from the platforms affected.
"Our children continue to face real dangers—from pornography, cyberbullying, and online scams to addiction, which is a matter of great concern," Hafid said.
"The government is intervening so that parents don't have to fight alone against the big names of algorithm-driven platforms."
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The children's charity UNICEF reported in 2023 that nearly half of the 510 Indonesian children it surveyed had seen sexual images on social media.
"As a working mother with two children, especially a teenage son, I don't have much time to monitor what my son is doing in the digital world," said Amanda Kusumo, 42. "Our children are constantly facing real dangers—from pornography, cyberbullying, and online scams to addiction, which is of greatest concern."
"The government is intervening so that parents don't have to fight alone against the big names of algorithm-driven platforms."
The children's charity UNICEF reported in 2023 that nearly half of the 510 Indonesian children it surveyed had seen sexual images on social media.
Amanda Cusumo, 42, said on news of the ban, "As a working mom with two children, especially a teenage son, I don't have enough time to constantly monitor what my son is doing in the digital world."
"This kind of government regulation really eases our worries as parents," she said, adding: "I'm confident that this government decision will ultimately have positive benefits for both children and parents."
Amanda's 17-year-old son, Matt Joseph, said he saw arguments for and against the ban.
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He said, "It's true that children still can't fully manage their screen time or control themselves when using their phones. But if the government decides to completely block all platforms deemed "risky" for them, I think there might be a gentler, more sensible way to do it."
Matt Joseph believes that much of what young people enjoy comes from social media. He suggested that if the government wants them to use it less, they need an incentive—like improving what's available to watch on TV.
"It would be nice to have entertainment that feels like it's really for us, something that helps us learn and also brings us joy."
Meanwhile, Indonesia's child protection agency said it couldn't comment on the government's plans until it has studied them.
Nurul Izmi at the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) couldn't access the final draft of the regulation, but generally said that protecting children isn't just about age restrictions. She pointed out that the European Union bans profiling ads targeting children.
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"Safe child protection regulations should also be based on safety by design," she said.
Izmi also said that implementing age verification means collecting sensitive personal data from children, so it's important to ensure that data collection follows the right principles.
He added: "To protect children on digital platforms, it's crucial not to neglect guarantees of access to information or children's freedom of speech. In human rights, any restriction on rights must be lawful, necessary, and based on equality."
This announcement comes after Australia became the first country in December to force social media companies to prevent users under the age of 16 from creating accounts on its platforms—a policy that is being closely monitored by other governments around the world.
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Critics have called on the Australian government to extend this ban to online gaming sites like Roblox and Discord, which are not currently included.
There are also concerns that age assurance technology will unfairly block older users and fail to identify underage users.
Spain is among other countries that have said they will follow Australia's lead.
Earlier this week, the UK launched a public consultation on whether to introduce a similar ban, asking young people and their parents and guardians to provide comments before the government makes a decision on the proposal.
Indonesia has previously taken steps to restrict access to sexually explicit material online, including blocking access to the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok.
Other online sources of pornographic material, including OnlyFans and Pornhub, have also been banned in the country.
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