Banyumas Regent: Social Media Restrictions for Children to Create Safe Digital Space

Purwokerto (ANTARA) - Banyumas Regent Sadewo Tri Lastiono believes that restricting social media use for children can create a safer digital space, in line with the implementation of the Child Protection in the Digital Realm Act by the central government.

The Regent Sadewo Tri Lastiono in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, on Saturday, said that the regional administration is preparing policies to support the implementation of the aforementioned act along with its derivative regulations, including Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic Systems in Child Protection (PP Tunas) and Minister of Communication and Digital Regulation Number 9 of 2026 in the area.

“We are discussing it, we are deliberating it. I cannot decide alone because it is a new matter from the centre,” he said.

He stated that the social media usage restriction policy has the potential to suppress various risks faced by children in the digital world, such as exposure to negative content, cyberbullying, and interactions inappropriate for their age.

He acknowledged that the phenomenon of social media misuse involving children also occurs in Banyumas, thus requiring measured anticipatory steps.

He hopes that with the existence of this act, child protection can be strengthened through policies that are not only developmental but also accompanied by law enforcement.

“It is hoped that with this act, we can take firm actions, not just discipline, but also legal enforcement,” he said.