Indonesia bans social media access for children under 16

JAKARTA — Indonesia will ban access to social media platforms for children under 16 years, authorities said on Friday, becoming the latest country to install online restrictions ‌to reduce the risks of addiction and cyberbullying.Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said in a statement to media that she just signed a government regulation that will mean children under the age of 16 can no longer have accounts on high-risk digital platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox.The implementation will start gradually from March 28, until all platforms fulfill their compliance obligations.“The basis is clear. Our children face increasingly real threats. From exposure to pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and most importantly addiction. The government is here so that parents no longer have to fight alone against the giant of algorithms.” Hafid said.She added that the government is taking this step as the best effort in the midst of a digital emergency to reclaim sovereignty over children’s futures.“We realize that the implementation of this regulation may cause some discomfort at first. Children may complain and parents may be confused about how to respond to their children’s complaints,” Hafid said.Earlier this week, Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs conducted a surprise inspection of Meta Platforms’ Jakarta office over concerns about the handling of harmful content on its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.The ministry in a statement said that through this inspection, the Minister of Communication and Information Technology issued a stern warning regarding Meta’s low level of compliance with national regulations.Indonesia will be the first country in Southeast Asia to restrict the access of children to social media.The restriction of social media access for teens began in Australia in December 2025. Social media companies have revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children in Australia.