Indonesia on Saturday, 28th March, began implementing a new government regulation that bans children younger than 16 from accessing digital platforms that could expose them to pornography, cyberbullying, online scams, and addiction.
With the move, Indonesia became the first country in Southeast Asia to prohibit children from holding accounts on platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. The policy follows similar action taken by Australia last year as part of efforts to protect minors and shift control away from tech companies.
Indonesia plans to roll out the restrictions gradually until all platforms comply. Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said the government has instructed all digital platforms operating in the country to align their products, features, and services with the regulation.
“There will be no compromise on compliance, and every business entity operating in Indonesia is required to comply with Indonesian law,” she said.
The rule is expected to affect about 70 million children in Indonesia. The country’s population is estimated at around 288 million in 2026.
Hafid said platforms are classified as high risk based on factors such as how easily children can be exposed to strangers, potential predators, harmful content, exploitation, and data security scams.
She acknowledged that enforcement will be challenging, particularly in requiring platforms to identify and deactivate accounts belonging to children under 16.
“This is certainly a task. But we must take steps to save our children,” Hafid said. “It is not easy. Nevertheless, we must see it through.”
X, formerly known as Twitter, states on its Indonesia Online Safety Information page that 16 is the minimum user age in the country. “It is not our choice it is what Indonesian law requires,” the page says. Hafid said X has committed to identifying and deactivating accounts owned by minors starting 28th March.
Bigo Live has fully complied with the new rules, she said.
TikTok said it is committed to complying with the regulation and will take appropriate measures regarding under 16 accounts in consultation with the ministry. “We will continue to engage constructively with The Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry in the self assessment process, and expect that the regulation will be applied fairly and consistently across all social platforms,” the company said.
Roblox has informed the government of plans to introduce an offline mode for users under 13. Discussions are ongoing about disabling online access for younger users, though no timeline has been announced.
Google owned YouTube said it supports the government’s effort to create a risk based framework addressing online harms while preserving access to information and opportunity. “We are ready to engage under the regulation self assessment approach to demonstrate our long standing safety rigour,” it said.
Hafid did not elaborate on age verification technologies, saying the government is prioritizing platform compliance.
Maura Munthe, a 13 year old who spends about four hours a day on social media and plays games on Roblox, said she feels “kind of 50 50” about the policy but mostly agrees with it. Her classmates worry about losing access to entertainment.
“There are always other games on my phone, not only the online ones,” she said. “I will likely play more games alone or just hang out with my friends.”
Her mother, Leni Sinuraya, said she has trusted her daughter to use her phone responsibly but supports the policy, saying parents have lost control.
“Nowadays, when we see kids sitting in a restaurant, they have a phone right in front of them. It is clear that they are addicted,” Sinuraya said. “They will not eat unless they are given a phone, and they throw a tantrum if they are not.”
“Mealtime is supposed to be a time for us to chat with the people around us,” she added.
Diena Haryana, founder of the Jakarta based Semai Jiwa Amini foundation, also known as SEJIWA, said research shows social media use can affect children’s mental health, contributing to anxiety and depression. She noted that digital platforms also provide learning opportunities.
“We also need to remember that they need to learn to use this digital technology at the right time, at the right age, and with the right guidance as well,” she said.
Haryana said the effects of the policy will become clear only after implementation and predicted complaints from children and confusion among parents. She said parents and schools must help children engage more with the offline world.
“Of course, this takes time to get used to, which is why parents and schools need to encourage children to engage with the real world and make it fun for them,” she said. “And there is plenty in the real world for children to explore.”
Restrictions on social media access for children under 16 began in Australia in December, where companies removed access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children. Other countries, including Spain, France, and the UK, are also considering or implementing similar measures.
Indonesia’s regulation is part of a broader global push to address concerns about anxiety, depression, and other mental health effects linked to social media use among young people.
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