Key facts
- Indonesia will ban social media access for individuals under 16.
- The ban will take effect on March 28.
- Platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox will be affected.
- The government aims to protect children from online risks including pornography, cyberbullying, scams, and addiction.
- The policy follows a similar ban implemented in Australia.
Indonesia is set to implement a ban on social media and other online platforms for children under 16, a move aimed at protecting young users from various online threats. The ban, which begins on March 28, will affect platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid stated that the government is intervening to shield children from issues like exposure to pornography, cyberbullying, online scams, and addiction, asserting that parents should not have to combat these challenges alone.
The decision has elicited varied responses. Some parents, like Amanda Kusumo, have welcomed the regulation, viewing it as a means to alleviate parental concerns about constant digital monitoring. However, concerns have been raised regarding the practical implementation of the ban, particularly how age verification will be enforced without compromising children's data privacy or their rights to access information and freedom of expression. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti and communications lecturer Birgitta Puspita have highlighted the challenge of preventing falsified identities and the potential ambiguity in policy execution.
For young content creators, known as 'kidfluencers', the ban poses a significant threat to their livelihoods. Fourteen-year-old Charissa Putri Chandra Kirana, who has amassed 800,000 Instagram followers and earns substantial income promoting products, expressed deep disappointment, emphasizing that her earnings support her family's expenses, including her mother's medical treatment. Her mother, Eva Rosalina, noted the years it took for Charissa to establish her career. The ban positions Indonesia as the first country in Southeast Asia to enact such restrictions for minors, following Australia's lead.