Children Restricted, But Have They Been Educated?
The government’s policy to restrict social media access for children under 16 years of age deserves appreciation as a preventive step amid the strong current of the digital age. At that age, children generally do not yet possess sufficient maturity in making decisions, let alone in facing the complexities of the online world filled with information, opinions, and influences that are not always healthy. This restriction serves as an important signal that not all digital access should be granted without age readiness and maturity.
From an Islamic perspective, social media fundamentally falls into the category of mubah—permissible to use as long as it does not violate the principles of sharia. However, this permissibility is not absolute. It greatly depends on the purpose and impact of its use. Something that is originally permissible can become harmful when it opens the door to greater damage.
This is where the concept of sadd dzari’ah in usul fiqh studies becomes relevant: closing the path to harm before the harm actually occurs. A simple analogy can be drawn from the use of a knife. For adults, it is a useful tool. But for children who cannot yet control themselves, it can become a source of danger. Thus, restriction is not merely a prohibition, but a form of protection.
Nevertheless, restriction must not stop at itself. Because restriction may reduce access, but it does not automatically generate awareness. Children who are restricted without being equipped with understanding may seek loopholes by using others’ accounts, falsifying their age, or accessing through other means. In such situations, what emerges is not discipline, but superficial compliance: obedient when supervised, but free when unobserved.
It is at this point that education takes on an irreplaceable role. Islam does not only know prohibitions, but also emphasises the process of tarbiyah—building character and inner awareness. Children are not just kept away from risky things, but also need to be prepared to manage and respond to them wisely when access is eventually opened.
Character education in the digital context has become an urgent need. Children need to be taught not only what is allowed and not allowed, but also why something needs to be avoided or done. They need to be trained to have self-control, responsibility, and the ability to filter information. Without that, prohibitions will only change how children access, not how they think.
The roles of parents and schools are very central in this matter. State regulations will not be effective without being reinforced by education in the family and educational institutions. Parents cannot just prohibit, but also need to be present as guides who understand their child’s world. Schools cannot just transfer knowledge, but must also instil digital ethics as part of character education.
In a study conducted by the author, it was found that the intensity of screen time influences the level of religiosity among students, although it is not the sole determining factor. This finding shows that intense interaction with screens—including social media—can affect a person’s way of thinking, habits, and even spiritual depth. If at the university student age the impact is already felt, then for children still in the character formation stage, the influence can certainly be more significant.
Furthermore, this phenomenon can be viewed through the concept of “khalil”—something close and has a strong influence on a person. In traditional life, a child’s “khalil” is usually parents, teachers, or the closest social environment. But in modern life, social media is gradually taking that position. It becomes a constant companion, the main source of information, and a shaper of perceptions and values.
When social media has become a “khalil”, its influence is no longer merely technical, but also ideological and emotional. It shapes worldviews, determines standards, and even affects identity. At this point, the issue is no longer just about what is allowed or not, but who is closest and most influential in shaping a child’s self.
In the end, what is needed is not just children without social media accounts, but children with character readiness to use them. Because without education, prohibitions will only delay the problem—not solve it. In this digital era, protecting children is not just about limiting access, but ensuring their education so that what is closest to them is values—not just screens.