Indonesia will ban users under the age of 16 from accessing major social networks as part of new regulations, Communications Minister Meutya Hafid said.
Restrictions will apply on “high risk platforms”, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. The restrictions will be phased in, starting at the end of this month.
– Our children face increasingly real threats, from exposure to pornography, cyber-violence, online fraud, and most importantly – from addiction. The government is here so that parents no longer have to fight against the powerful algorithm alone – said Hafid.
The minister admitted that the policy can be an inconvenience for children and parents, but she described it as necessary in the conditions of what she called an “emergency digital situation”, reports DW.
Accounts already registered to users under the age of 16 will be deactivated, Meutya added.
The government has not yet specified how the platforms will verify the age of users – a problem that has made similar measures difficult in other countries.
France and Australia have already introduced similar restrictions.
Indonesia’s new social media rules for children follow similar measures recently introduced in France, Australia and several US states, aimed at limiting minors’ access to the Internet.
The regulation comes amid growing concerns about the influence of digital platforms on young users.
(Vijesti.ba/FENA)
