Batam City Government Implements Regulation on Children's Digital Space to Prevent Cyberbullying and Harmful Content

Batam City Government has implemented child-protection regulations in the digital space as part of a measure to curb cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content for children and adolescents. The policy aligns with Minister of Communications and Digital Regulation No. 9 of 2026 on Child Protection in the Digital Space, which will be applied nationwide from 28 March 2026. Rudi Panjaitan, head of the Batam City Department of Communication and Information Technology (Diskominfo Batam), said the regulation is a strategic step to minimise the array of risks faced by children when accessing the internet: ‘Digital platforms are required to tighten age verification and increase supervision of user accounts, especially those belonging to children.’ The aim is to curb negative effects of the internet, such as exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and potential social media addiction that can affect children’s development. Batam City Government hopes the regulation will create a safer and healthier digital space for the younger generation. He added that the success of this policy requires public support, particularly the role of parents in supervising their children’s digital activities. ‘The government provides regulation and infrastructure, but day-to-day oversight begins in the family environment,’ he said. As a supporting measure, Diskominfo Batam will continue to promote digital literacy for parents to guide their children in using the internet wisely and responsibly. This step by Batam City Government has also been welcomed by parents; one Batam resident, Siti Rahmawati, 45, called the policy essential for protecting children from online risks: ‘Children nowadays are very close to gadgets and social media; with age verification rules and stricter supervision, we as parents feel better equipped to protect our children.’ She noted that, beyond government regulation, parental involvement remains a key factor in monitoring children’s digital activities daily. ‘We also hope the government will continue to provide digital literacy education to parents so they can better understand how to support their children online,’ she said. The Batam City Government also commits to collaborate with various parties to ensure digital platforms comply with age-verification requirements, and through this supervision aims to create a more educational, safe digital environment that supports the growth and development of children in Batam.