The Indonesian government has postponed social media access for children under 16 to protect them from digital risks such as device addiction and exposure to harmful content (09/03). This policy is part of the implementation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on Electronic System Governance in Child Protection (PP Tunas).

Policy Aims to Ensure Child Readiness

Minister of Communication and Digital Meutya Hafid emphasized that the regulation does not ban children from using technology. Instead, it ensures that children have the mental and psychological readiness before entering the complex social media environment.

“Children are considered ready to access social media around the age of 16. This is not a unilateral government decision, but the result of long discussions with psychologists, child development experts, and various studies on the impact of social media on children,” Meutya said during the Digital Friends Seedling Class: Wait Until Children Are Ready at Garuda Spark Innovation Hub, Jakarta, on Monday (09/03/2026).

Addressing Digital Risks

The government received extensive feedback from society on increasing risks for children using social media, including addiction, exposure to negative content, cyberbullying, and online scams.

“Government presence ensures that parents do not have to face the power of algorithms alone,” Meutya stated. She added that developments in artificial intelligence (AI) make it increasingly difficult for children to distinguish between authentic and manipulated content.

“With AI development, digital content will be increasingly difficult to differentiate between real and manipulated. Children will face greater challenges in discerning accurate information,” she explained.

The “Wait Until Children Are Ready” policy emphasizes giving full social media access gradually according to a child’s readiness.

Support from Educators

Najeela Shihab, founder of the Center for Education and Policy Studies, welcomed the regulation as an important step to strengthen child protection in the digital era.

“The regulation does not restrict overall technology use. Children can still use the internet for learning and creativity. High-risk platforms like social media or certain online games are limited,” Najeela said. Research shows that excessive social media use can increase device addiction, online violence, and reduce learning focus.

Student Perspective

Yasser Baihaqi Balny, a student at SMAN 3 Jakarta, supported the policy for children under 16.

“Some content is not suitable for children under 16. I believe this rule is necessary,” he said. He added that the regulation protects rather than limits freedom, helping young people use technology more safely.

Around 500 middle and high school students attended the Digital Friends Seedling Class to discuss digital safety and healthy technology use. Minister Meutya also invited students to become “Tunas Ambassadors” in schools and families to promote responsible technology use. The event was attended by the Director General of Public Communication and Media, Fifi Aleyda Yahya.

PHOTO: MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION AND DIGITAL AFFAIRS

This article was created with AI assistance.

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