Indonesia to ban kids under 16 from social media
JAKARTA—Indonesia will ban social media for children under 16, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said on Friday.
Hafid said she had just signed a regulation prohibiting children under that age from having accounts on high-risk digital platforms, such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (formerly Twitter), Bigo Live and Roblox.
The implementation will start gradually from March 28 until all platforms fulfill their compliance obligations.
This makes Indonesia the first country in Southeast Asia to restrict children’s access to social media, after Australia and a number of European countries had earlier imposed or are considering that prohibition.
“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 in a statement.
Parents welcome move
She said 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.
But residents and parents in Jakarta welcomed the restrictions, especially with children having had access to social media through mobile phones.
“I think that it has been very worrying for minors, especially children. Because they have too much freedom with photos, videos and everything. Some education is educational, but [others are] misleading. So we really need to sort through social media again,” said Marianah, 43, who, like many Indonesians, uses a single name.
Others suggested the government should also block other harmful websites, such as pornography and gambling.
“This is for the sake of the people themselves, for the children and for the children’s growth and development,” said Harianto, 49.
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 said another agency, the Minister of Communication and Information Technology, has issued a stern warning regarding Meta’s low level of compliance with national regulations.
Restrictions worldwide
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.
Other countries, including Spain, France and the United Kingdom, have also taken or are considering measures to restrict minors’ access to social media amid growing concern that children are being harmed by exposure to unregulated social media content.
