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Indonesia volition restrict entree to societal media platforms for children nether 16 years, its Communications and Digital Ministry said connected Friday (March 5, 2026), making it the latest state to instal online guardrails to trim the risks of addiction and cyberbullying.
A fig of governments person imposed curbs connected societal media for children amid mounting concerns implicit the interaction that societal media is having connected the information and intelligence wellness of minors.
Australia introduced a ban connected societal media for under-16s successful December, and Spain besides said past period that it would ban entree to societal media for minors nether 16.
Indonesia's neighbour Malaysia announced successful November that it would besides prohibition societal media for users nether the property of 16 starting from 2026.
Meutya Hafid, Indonesia's Communications and Digital Minister, said successful a video connection that the authorities will "delay access" to societal media accounts for children nether 16 done a Ministerial regularisation issued connected Friday (March 6, 2026).
Starting March 28, accounts owned by children nether 16 connected "high hazard platforms" volition beryllium gradually deactivated, Meutya said, adding the platforms see TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Roblox.
"The process volition beryllium done gradually until each platforms execute their obligations," she said, without elaborating connected what they need to bash to conscionable the caller requirements.
"We realise this whitethorn origin discomfort successful the beginning. Children whitethorn kick and parents whitethorn beryllium confused dealing with their complaints."
"Our children are facing risks, from porn, cyberbullying, online fraud to astir importantly, addiction," she said, adding Indonesia volition beryllium the archetypal non-Western state to enforce specified restrictions.
TikTok, Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, and Roblox did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
The details of the caller regularisation person yet to beryllium revealed. Ministry officials did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
Internet penetration successful Indonesia, a state of astir 280 cardinal people, reached 79.5% successful 2024, according to a survey of 8,700 radical by the Indonesia net work providers' association.
The survey showed 48% of children nether 12 had entree to the internet, with immoderate respondents of that property radical utilizing Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The survey showed net penetration stood astatine 87% among "Gen Z" users aged 12 to 27.
