AGPPI: Parents as the Frontline Defence in Protecting Children from Digital Threats
Lebak (ANTARA) - Chairman of the Indonesian Pancasila Education Teachers Association (AGPPI) Unro Aljuhri has emphasised that parents serve as the frontline defence in protecting children from various threats in the digital space.
“We urge parents to firmly monitor and accompany their children by ensuring they do not have accounts to avoid exposure to negative content,” said Unro when contacted in Lebak on Monday.
According to him, the government has issued Ministerial Regulation on Communication and Digital Affairs (Permen Komdigi) Number 9 of 2026, effective from 28 March 2026, which prohibits children under 16 years old from having accounts on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.
The prohibition on these digital platforms is intended to safeguard children’s futures from threats including pornography, online scams, online gambling, cyberbullying, and other crimes.
This regulation, he said, explicitly prohibits children under the age of 16 from having independent accounts on digital platforms, including social media.
In addition, children should be encouraged to engage in positive activities, such as sports, reading, craft skills, and arts.
“This certainly provides peace of mind for parents, as children are protected from those negative digital threats,” he explained.
He stated that parents can build a foundation of education for their children’s future, as education is not limited to formal schooling alone.
Currently, Generation Alpha and Beta require adaptive skills: critical thinking, technology (AI, digital), vocational training, and entrepreneurship to prepare for a green economy and digital transformation.
“We hope for synergy between the roles of parents, society, and the government to save the future of children,” he explained.
Head of the Integrated People’s School 36 in Lebak Regency, Tuti Sugiarti, stated that efforts to save the future of Indonesian children through education serve as a means to acquire knowledge as a solution for building a better nation.
Therefore, it is important for parents and educators to instil confidence in children that they are capable of achieving success through education.
Similarly, children need guidance to have clear aspirations as a direction in undergoing the learning process.
Thus, they will be more motivated and enthusiastic in developing themselves, including the implantation of spiritual values from an early age.
“We also support the policy of restricting social media usage so that children are more enthusiastic about learning to become a generation that is intelligent, characterful, and moral,” she explained.