Academic: Children's Social Media Restrictions Require Multi-Sector Support

Purwokerto - An academic from Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (Unsoed) in Purwokerto, Luthfi Makhasin, Ph.D., believes that the policy restricting social media for children requires cross-sectoral support to ensure effective implementation, particularly at the local level.

“From a public policy perspective, the government’s step is commendable, as it responds to numerous studies showing the negative impacts of excessive social media exposure on children, especially during their developmental years,” he said when contacted in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, on Sunday.

He stated that such restrictions are not new globally, with countries like China having implemented them progressively to protect children from the negative effects of digital spaces.

Nevertheless, he warned that the main challenge lies in on-the-ground implementation, which requires a more comprehensive approach.

“At the local implementation level, extra efforts are needed, as it involves technical aspects. This cannot rely solely on appeals but must involve parents, schools, and service providers,” he said.

He assessed that without the involvement of these parties, the social media restriction policy for children could potentially fail to operate optimally.

Additionally, he said, local governments also need to consider alternative activities for children to reduce reliance on gadgets, such as providing child-friendly public spaces.

He cited practices in advanced countries like Australia, which have provided various public facilities to encourage children’s physical activities, including open fields, playgrounds, bike paths, and adequate pedestrian facilities.

“The availability of such public spaces can serve as an alternative for children to shift from gadget use to healthier physical activities,” he said.

He acknowledged that providing such infrastructure in Indonesia is still limited and requires long-term planning and cross-sectoral support.

Furthermore, he stressed that the social media restriction policy for children should not stand alone but be integrated with other programmes such as Child-Friendly Cities, inclusive education, and public infrastructure development.

“This policy must be understood as part of a unified whole with other programmes. It cannot run independently without support from the education, infrastructure, and transportation sectors,” he said.

With an integrated and collaborative approach, Luthfi is optimistic that the social media restriction policy for children can be more effective in creating a healthy environment for children’s development in the digital era.

Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 on the Protection and Governance of Electronic Systems in Child Protection (PP Tunas) officially takes effect from Saturday, 28 March 2026, after being issued by President Prabowo Subianto on 28 March 2025.

Provisions in PP Tunas that officially apply include regulating restrictions on access to digital platforms for children under 16 years old.

The regulation is expected to protect children from potential threats in the digital space, such as cyberbullying, digital scams, and exposure to negative content like pornography and violence-laden material.

Meanwhile, the technical implementation rules for PP Tunas are contained in Minister of Communication and Digital Regulation Number 9 of 2026.