Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia \u2013 The government has set a ban on children\nunder 16 accessing social media from 28 March 2026. The policy refers to\nGovernment Regulation Number 17 of 2025 (PP Tunas), subsequently\nreinforced by Ministerial Regulation of the Ministry of Communication\nand Digital Number 9 of 2026.<\/p>\n
The Minister of Communication and Digital (Menkomdigi), Meutya Hafid,\nrevealed recently that this step forms part of a national movement to\nprotect the younger generation from the harmful effects of digital-space\nalgorithms.<\/p>\n
According to government data, there are approximately 70 million\nchildren in Indonesia aged 16 and under. This means that as of 28 March,\nthose 70 million Indonesian citizens will certainly lose their right of\naccess, or be legally banned from using social media platforms.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the implementation of this rule has encountered\nchallenges in practice. This was disclosed by the Deputy Minister of\nCommunication and Digital, Nezar Patria, in an official statement on the\nKomdigi website at the start of the week.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is one survey showing that out of five children, three have\ndefinitely falsified their age in order to access social media. This is\nalready commonplace,\u201d said Nezar.<\/p>\n
This practice of data manipulation poses a serious challenge to\nregulatory enforcement, as the gatekeeping verification mechanism rests\nentirely under the control of each digital platform\u2019s own system.<\/p>\n
Pushing for Stronger Technology Whilst Safeguarding Personal Data<\/p>\n
In response to this loophole, Komdigi has affirmed that it has asked\nall global digital platform operators to urgently strengthen their age\nidentification and verification technology. Whilst urging platforms to\ntighten their systems, the government has also cautioned that such\nmeasures must not come at the expense of users\u2019 sensitive data\nsecurity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have already conveyed this to the platforms, because it is the\nplatforms that can regulate this with the technological solutions they\npossess. However, age identification must also continue to comply with\nthe principles of personal data protection,\u201d Nezar explained.<\/p>\n
To date, a number of major platforms are reported to have begun\nresponding by implementing far more aggressive algorithmic systems. This\ntechnology is designed to detect and recognise activity patterns of\nusers suspected to be underage, including tracking the type of content\nthey access.<\/p>\n
Nezar added that this systemic intervention is slowly beginning to\nbear fruit, with a number of children\u2019s accounts proven to have\nfalsified their identity now being progressively blocked and no longer\nable to access the services.<\/p>\n
The Key Lies in Parents\u2019 Hands<\/p>\n
Beyond the sophistication of technology and the strictness of\nregulatory sanctions, Komdigi emphasises that the most crucial line of\ndefence for children\u2019s cyber safety lies in the smallest environment,\nnamely the family.<\/p>\n
The government continues to encourage the use of parental guidance\nfeatures and active parental involvement in regularly monitoring\nchildren\u2019s digital footprints.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs parents, we must indeed be more intensive in accompanying our\nchildren. The family approach remains an important part of protecting\nchildren in the digital space,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/70-million-indonesians-banned-from-social-media-yet-many-remain-defiant-1783666332", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }