Indonesia will restrict children under 16 from accessing social media and other online platforms starting March 28, Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid announced. Accounts on “high-risk” platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox, will be gradually deactivated under a new ministerial regulation.
Hafid said Indonesia will be “the first non-Western country to delay children’s access to digital spaces according to age.” The details of the regulation have not yet been fully disclosed.
Online Risks Cited as Catalyst
The government pointed to pornography exposure, cyberbullying, online fraud, and addiction as the primary drivers of the policy. UNICEF reported in 2023 that roughly half of 510 Indonesian children surveyed had been exposed to sexual images on social media.
Internet penetration in Indonesia, a country of approximately 280 million people, reached 79.5% in 2024, according to the Indonesian Internet Service Providers’ Association. The same survey found that 48% of children under 12 had internet access, with some using Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Among Gen Z users aged 12 to 27, penetration stood at 87%.
Australia became the first country to enforce such a ban in December 2024, with Spain announcing a similar measure last month. Neighboring Malaysia announced in November that it would impose equivalent restrictions in 2026. The UK launched a public consultation on a potential ban earlier this week.
Critics in Australia have called for the ban to be extended to gaming platforms such as Roblox and Discord. Privacy advocates in Indonesia have raised concerns that age verification requirements could expose children’s sensitive personal data and restrict their freedom of expression.
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Indonesia will restrict children under 16 from accessing social media and other online platforms starting March 28, Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid announced. Accounts on “high-risk” platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox, will be gradually deactivated under a new ministerial regulation.
Hafid said Indonesia will be “the first non-Western country to delay children’s access to digital spaces according to age.” The details of the regulation have not yet been fully disclosed.
Online Risks Cited as Catalyst
The government pointed to pornography exposure, cyberbullying, online fraud, and addiction as the primary drivers of the policy. UNICEF reported in 2023 that roughly half of 510 Indonesian children surveyed had been exposed to sexual images on social media.
Internet penetration in Indonesia, a country of approximately 280 million people, reached 79.5% in 2024, according to the Indonesian Internet Service Providers’ Association. The same survey found that 48% of children under 12 had internet access, with some using Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Among Gen Z users aged 12 to 27, penetration stood at 87%.
A Widening Global Trend
Indonesia joins a growing list of countries restricting minors’ social media access.
Australia became the first country to enforce such a ban in December 2024, with Spain announcing a similar measure last month. Neighboring Malaysia announced in November that it would impose equivalent restrictions in 2026. The UK launched a public consultation on a potential ban earlier this week.
Critics in Australia have called for the ban to be extended to gaming platforms such as Roblox and Discord. Privacy advocates in Indonesia have raised concerns that age verification requirements could expose children’s sensitive personal data and restrict their freedom of expression.
Source: BBC, Reuters