Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital, Nezar Patria, warned about serious risks to child online safety in digital platforms during a Focus Group Discussion in Central Jakarta (03/02/2026).

He stated that many children falsify their age when registering on digital platforms to avoid age restrictions, allowing them to access inappropriate content.

Children Falsify Age to Bypass Platform Restrictions

According to Nezar, children often manipulate their age data during registration so platforms treat them as adults.

This practice exposes children to adult content, including sexual material, due to weak age verification mechanisms.

“Platforms are generally driven by machines without deep verification. When children falsify their age, the system assumes they are already 18 years old, and adult content, even sexual content, is freely exposed to them,” he said.

Platforms Asked to Adopt Behavioral Age Detection Technology

Nezar urged digital platforms to stop relying solely on date-of-birth declarations to identify user age.

He called on Electronic System Providers (PSEs) to adopt behavioral-based age detection technology, also known as age inferential systems.

He explained that such technology can analyze user behavior patterns to estimate age, even when the declared age is inaccurate.

“If child consumption patterns are detected on an adult account, the system automatically blocks access to harmful content,” Nezar said.

Policy Implementation Under PP TUNAS Regulation

The push for advanced age detection is part of the implementation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic Systems for Child Protection (PP TUNAS).

Nezar noted that several major global platforms, including YouTube, are currently testing this technology in selected regions.

He expressed hope that safety by design would become part of corporate culture, not only a regulatory requirement.

Industry Responds to Child Protection Measures

Chairman of the Indonesian E-Commerce Association (idEA), Hilmi Adrianto, welcomed the government’s direction.

He acknowledged that while digital platforms provide educational benefits, children face real risks from age-inappropriate content.

“Implementation of this regulation will change how platforms design their services and features, both passively and actively,” Hilmi said.

He added that the main challenge is developing proportional technology that can filter negative content without limiting children’s access to positive information and innovation.

The discussion marked an early step toward aligning government and industry perspectives in drafting practical implementing regulations to close existing loopholes that allow harmful content to reach children.

PHOTO: FREEPIK

This article was created with AI assistance.

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