Indonesia outlines plan to limit children under 16’s access to social media

Indonesia will soon become the latest country to pass laws restricting children’s access to social media, following in the footsteps of Australia and neighboring Malaysia.

But unlike Australia, which has Forbidden For users under the age of 16 from social media altogether, Indonesia takes a more age-sensitive approach to its restrictions.

Ministry of Communications and Digital Indonesia He said The country announced on Friday that it would delay children’s access to social media platforms: children aged 13 or over will be able to use platforms deemed “lower risk” by the state, while “higher risk” platforms will only be open to users over 16 years old.

Platforms considered “high risk” include YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox, said the country’s Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs, Meutia Hafeez. He said In a video posted on Instagram.

It is expected that these measures will be implemented one year after they were signed into law on March 28, 2026.

Indonesia It is not the only country Passing age restrictions for using social media. Over the past few months, several countries have announced plans to restrict children and teenagers’ access to social media, including Denmark, Spain, France, Malaysia and the UK.

Indonesia insists that the goal is not to prevent children from using the Internet, but to ensure that they use it safely and at the appropriate age.

“This regulation does not impose sanctions on children or parents. Instead, sanctions target digital platforms that fail to meet their child protection obligations,” Hafeez said. The rule aims to prevent risks “ranging from exposure to harmful content, interaction with unknown individuals, child exploitation, and addiction to digital platforms.”

almost 299 million Indonesians The Ministry said that children are connected to the Internet, and that approximately 80% of their children actively use electronic platforms.

About half of Indonesian children have encountered sexual content on social media platforms, and 42% admitted the experience made them feel afraid or uncomfortable, the government said, referring to UNICEF figures.

This announcement comes a day after Indonesia He issued a warning to Meta For not curbing online gambling and misinformation on its platforms.