Indonesia is preparing to issue new regulations aimed at protecting children online by setting a minimum age for social media users. Indonesian Minister of Information and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, announced the government’s plan after discussions with President Prabowo Subianto. The move follows Australia’s decision to ban children under 16 from accessing social media, with penalties for non-compliance by platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
In the interim, the government will implement child protection guidelines for social media companies while a law is being drafted. Senior communications official Alexander Sabar emphasized the importance of safeguarding children from physical, mental, or moral dangers online but clarified that children’s access to social media would not be entirely restricted.
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This proposal has sparked mixed reactions from the public. Many parents, like 46-year-old Nurmayanti, are supportive, urging stricter regulations to block harmful content such as pornography or discrimination. However, human rights commissioner Anis Hidayah warned that while child protection is vital, it is also important to ensure that children’s rights to access information are not overly curtailed.
A survey by Indonesia’s internet service providers’ association shows that nearly 50% of children under 12 in the country use the internet, with many accessing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. As the government moves forward with these regulations, the challenge will be balancing child protection with the need to uphold digital rights.
