US EditionIndonesia to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16
Indonesia will deactivate accounts of under-16 users on major platforms to curb exposure to online harms, joining global efforts where 4.7 million accounts were removed in Australia, officials said.
- Jakarta announced on Friday that accounts belonging to children under 16 will be deactivated on high-risk platforms starting March 28, 2026.
- Citing UNICEF figures, the government said many Indonesian children saw sexual images and 42% felt frightened or uncomfortable, framing the move as child protection.
- Platforms named include YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, and Roblox, with age-tiered restrictions for under‑13s and 13–16 users, the government said.
- A surprise inspection of Meta's Jakarta office found platforms did not immediately respond, following Indonesia's March 6 announcement to ban social media for under-16s, citing online threats.
- Researcher Greene warned enforcement will be difficult because VPNs can evade restrictions, and privacy experts cautioned that age verification creates collection of personal data, possibly biometric.
107 Articles
107 Articles
Indonesia announced that it will ban children under the age of 16 from using social media. Communications Minister Meutya Hafid said the measure will come into effect on March 28 and that "children under the age of 16 can no longer have accounts on high-risk digital platforms." "The decision is being made for the future of Indonesian children," Meutya said. With the move, Indonesia becomes the second country to restrict children's access to soci…
Indonesia bans the use of social media by children under 16. The Indonesian parliament has passed a law that...
Indonesia, following Australia, is the second country in the world to ban social media use by youth in an effort to regain children's sovereignty. Australia is also subject to regulation of AI chatbots. Following Australia, Indonesia is also introducing regulations to restrict the use of social media by youth under the age of 16. Australia is also banning online services including AI chatbots.
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