Digital Protection: AI Challenges and New Regulations for Indonesian Children

A paediatric specialist, Dr Bernie Endyarni Medise, has highlighted the serious risks of exposure to digital content on children’s development, particularly content generated by artificial intelligence (AI). This serves as an alarm for parents amid the overwhelming flow of visual information that is difficult to discern for its authenticity.

“Many adults are also baffled by AI, especially in its visual form. Sometimes we are confused whether the information is true or not. Now, imagine children; we cannot fathom how they process it,” said Bernie, quoted on Monday (30/3).

According to her, AI algorithms that present data based on popularity can backfire if not strictly filtered.

In addition to AI, popular online games like Roblox and Minecraft are also considered to pose risks because children often struggle to distinguish between the game world and reality.

Bernie emphasised that children under five years old should not be given access to digital devices at all, while for older children, access must be limited.

“If children are left to freely play with gadgets and access the internet, the behaviour they form will follow what they see on social media,” she stated.

In response to the urgency of this protection, the government is beginning to implement Ministerial Regulation on Communication and Digital No. 9 of 2026 as the implementation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on Child Protection in the Electronic System (PP Tunas) in stages starting from 28 March 2026.

KPAI Commissioner Kawiyan explained that this regulation aims to shield children from negative content such as pornography, cyberbullying, and online scams. Based on the new rules, age limits for account ownership become a crucial point.

“Children aged 13 to 16 are allowed to have accounts on low-risk platforms with parental consent. Meanwhile, teenagers aged 16 to 18 can have accounts on digital platforms with parental consent,” Kawiyan clarified.

This step follows concerning data from 2025.

Through this regulation, the government requires digital platforms to implement age verification systems and delete accounts of children under 16 on high-risk platforms.

“Through this regulation, the government hopes to create a safer digital space for Indonesian children while strengthening the role of parents in supervising their children’s digital activities,” Kawiyan concluded.