The ban is not just about restricting access, but about redefining when and how young people enter the digital world, and who gets to decide. For tech platforms, it is a direct challenge to business models built on early engagement and lifelong users. For parents, it is both a relief and a new burden of enforcement. And for millions of Indonesian children, it marks an abrupt shift from a life lived partly online to one that may, at least for now, be pushed back into the offline world.
Indonesia on Saturday began implementing new restrictions barring children under the age of 16 from accessing major social media and digital platforms, in one of the most sweeping moves of its kind globally.
The regulation, approved earlier this month, prohibits minors from holding accounts on platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. It makes Indonesia the first country in Southeast Asia to introduce such a ban, as governments worldwide step up efforts to curb the risks social media poses to children.
Officials say the measure is aimed at protecting minors from exposure to pornography, cyberbullying, online scams and addiction.
Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said implementation would be phased as authorities work with technology companies to ensure compliance.
“X has announced that it would enforce a minimum user age of 16 in Indonesia. They have published this on their help centre,” Meutya said.
Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, has already updated its Indonesia Online Safety Information page to reflect the new minimum age requirement, stating, “It’s not our choice – it’s what Indonesian law requires.”
Other platforms are also taking steps. Roblox has informed the government it plans to introduce an offline mode for users under 13, though Meutya did not specify when the feature would be launched.
“Communications are still ongoing that online access for (Roblox) users under a certain age will be disabled,” she said. “We still ask for (Roblox) to comprehensively comply with the rules.”
Bigo Live has fully complied with the regulation, while TikTok said it is committed to working with authorities and “taking appropriate measures related to under-16 accounts”.
Indonesia, home to around 280 million people, has an estimated 70 million children who could be affected by the policy.
Meutya acknowledged the scale of the challenge, particularly in enforcing compliance and verifying users’ ages across platforms.
“We reiterate that there is no room for compromise regarding compliance, and that every business entity operating in Indonesia is required to adhere to the laws in force within the country,” she said.
She added that ensuring platforms identify and deactivate accounts belonging to minors would be complex.
“This is certainly a task. But we must take steps to save our children,” she said. “It’s not easy. Nevertheless, we must see it through.”
The government has classified high risk platforms based on how easily children can be exposed to strangers, harmful content, exploitation and data security threats.
The move follows similar efforts in other countries. Australia introduced restrictions last year, forcing social media companies to remove millions of accounts belonging to children, while European countries including Spain, France and the United Kingdom are considering comparable measures.
Reactions among users and parents in Indonesia are mixed.
Maura Munthe, 13, who spends about four hours a day on social media and games including Roblox, said she feels “kind of 50-50” about the policy but largely agrees with it.
“There are always other games on my phone, not only the online ones,” she said. “I will likely play more games alone or just hang out with my friends.”
Her mother, Leni Sinuraya, said the regulation reflects growing concern among parents about children’s dependence on digital platforms.
“Nowadays, when we see kids sitting in a restaurant, they have a phone right in front of them. It’s clear that they’re addicted,” she said. “They won’t eat unless they’re given a phone, and they throw a tantrum if they aren’t.”
“Mealtime is supposed to be a time for us to chat with the people around us,” she added.
Child safety advocates say the long-term effects of the policy remain uncertain.
Diena Haryana, founder of SEJIWA, a Jakarta-based nonprofit focused on online child protection, said social media can harm children’s mental health but also offers learning opportunities.
“We also need to remember that they need to learn to use this digital technology at the right time, at the right age, and with the right guidance as well,” she said.
Haryana said the transition period could be difficult for both children and parents.
“Of course, this takes time to get used to, which is why parents and schools need to encourage children to engage with the real world and make it fun for them,” she added. “And there’s plenty in the real world for children to explore.”
YouTube, owned by Google, said it supports efforts to create a framework that addresses online harms while preserving access to information.
“We are ready to engage under the regulation’s self-assessment approach to demonstrate our long-standing safety rigour,” the company said.
As Indonesia rolls out the restrictions, authorities and platforms face the challenge of balancing enforcement with access, in a country where digital adoption has surged rapidly in recent years.
By Mohd Hassan, edited by Faustine Ngila (Impact Newswire).
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