Indonesia has announced plans to restrict access to social media platforms for children under the age of 16 as part of a new digital policy aimed at addressing online safety concerns. The decision was shared by Meutya Hafid, the country’s Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, who said the policy will come into effect on March 28. Authorities said the move is intended to protect minors from exposure to harmful online content and other risks associated with social media usage.
Under the new measure, accounts belonging to children under 16 on several platforms identified as high risk will begin to be deactivated. The list includes widely used services such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, Threads, Roblox and the livestreaming application Bigo Live. Government officials cited concerns about issues including exposure to inappropriate material, cyberbullying, online fraud and increasing dependence on social media among young users.
The decision follows broader global discussions about how governments should regulate online access for minors. In recent years, several countries have introduced measures aimed at restricting children’s access to digital platforms or requiring stricter age verification. Australia implemented a similar restriction last year, banning social media access for users under 16. In other regions such as the United States and the United Kingdom, lawmakers have introduced legislation requiring online platforms to verify the age of users in order to limit exposure to content considered harmful for minors.
Indonesia has recently taken several regulatory steps related to digital platforms and online services. Earlier this year, authorities lifted restrictions on the artificial intelligence chatbot Grok developed by xAI after reviewing safety concerns. Officials indicated that the government will continue monitoring digital services to ensure they meet national safety and regulatory standards.
The upcoming restriction on social media access for minors reflects the government’s effort to address the growing influence of online platforms on young users. While further details about enforcement mechanisms have not yet been fully outlined, authorities say the policy is part of a broader strategy to improve digital safety and reduce potential online risks faced by children and teenagers.
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