Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Ministry will block social media accounts owned by underage users once a minimum age limit policy takes effect in March, in a move aimed at strengthening child protection in the digital environment.
The ministry is finalising a ministerial regulation that will serve as the technical guideline for Government Regulation No. 17/2025 on electronic system provider (PSE) governance for child protection, known as PP Tunas. The regulation is scheduled to be issued and implemented next month, one year after President Prabowo Subianto signed the decree.
The latest draft, released in January for public consultation, outlines minimum age requirements for users of digital platforms and sanctions for service providers that fail to comply.
Under the proposed rules, children under 13 will only be allowed to use platforms specifically designed for their age group, while those aged between 13 and 16 may access only platforms classified as low risk. Parental consent will be required for all users in these age groups. Risk levels are determined based on factors such as exposure to strangers, violent or pornographic content, and addictive features.
Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said that once the regulation takes effect, users under 16 could be removed from digital platforms.
Authorities are still discussing a transition period for technology companies to comply with the new requirements, though the process is expected to be relatively short, particularly for major platforms. With tens of millions of child users in Indonesia, account removals will be carried out in phases, starting with large-scale actions by major service providers.
Indonesia’s move follows a global trend toward tighter regulation of social media and digital platforms. Australia previously became the first country to ban social media use for children under 16, with penalties of up to 49.5 million AUD (32 million USD) for companies found in violation. Unlike Australia, Indonesia plans to extend the policy to cover all electronic system providers, including online games and e-commerce platforms.
Minister Meutya noted that rapid technological convergence has blurred the boundaries between social media, gaming and other digital services, as many now incorporate messaging and social interaction features.
Child protection advocates and digital experts have largely welcomed the policy, saying it represents an important step toward preventing online grooming, misuse of personal data and children’s exposure to harmful content. However, some have called for closer scrutiny of the parental consent mechanism, noting that the early implementation phase will be important for gathering feedback, assessing effectiveness and monitoring possible shifts by young users to other platforms.
Indonesian authorities expect the new regulation to enhance child safety and contribute to stronger digital governance standards in the region as concerns over online safety and data privacy continue to grow./.
