Indonesia has announced new measures to restrict social media access for children under the age of 16, aiming to protect young users from online risks such as addiction, cyberbullying, fraud, and harmful content. Authorities said the policy will be implemented gradually through a new ministerial regulation designed to create stronger digital safety measures for minors while encouraging platforms to follow stricter responsibility standards.
The country’s communications and digital ministry confirmed that the regulation will delay access to social media accounts owned by children under 16. Under the policy, accounts belonging to minors on certain high-risk platforms will be gradually deactivated beginning March 28 as part of a phased enforcement plan designed to allow platforms and users to adjust to the new restrictions.
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Officials said the regulation mainly targets widely used platforms among young users, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Roblox. Authorities stressed that these platforms will be required to comply with new safety obligations and monitoring measures before they can allow younger users to access their services in the future.
The government acknowledged that the transition may initially create confusion for families and young users. However, officials emphasised that protecting children from exposure to harmful online activities remains the main priority. Policymakers believe that limiting early access to social media could help reduce addiction and safeguard children’s mental health and overall well-being.
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Indonesia joins a growing number of countries introducing restrictions on social media use by minors due to rising safety concerns. Several governments around the world have already proposed or introduced similar regulations to address the psychological and social impacts of excessive digital platform use among teenagers and younger children.
Internet use in Indonesia has expanded rapidly in recent years, making the issue particularly urgent for policymakers. Surveys indicate that internet penetration reached nearly 79.5 percent in 2024 in the country of around 280 million people. Data also shows that about 48 percent of children under the age of 12 already have internet access, while usage among Generation Z aged 12 to 27 has reached approximately 87 percent.