Digital Threats Must Be Countered with Adequate Protection Systems, Says Lestari Moerdijat

Digital development must be balanced with adequate protection systems for all citizens, including women and children, against accompanying threats.

“Digital development is not merely technological advancement that facilitates human activity. On the other hand, digitalisation also presents threats to women and children, necessitating appropriate protection systems,” said Deputy Chair of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly Lestari Moerdijat in a written statement on Monday, 2 March.

The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection revealed that nine out of ten Indonesian children aged five years and above are already active internet users, affecting their development.

Digital transformation, according to the ministry’s records, has changed how women and children learn, work, and interact within society.

According to Lestari, the rapid pace of digital penetration in people’s lives must be immediately balanced with concrete protective measures.

Lestari, who is also a member of Commission X of the House of Representatives, believes that existing regulations and protection policies in the digital sphere must receive serious attention from all relevant parties regarding their implementation.

According to Lestari, Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Administration of Electronic Systems for Child Protection (Regulation Tunas), which takes effect in March 2026, for example, must be effectively implemented as part of efforts to create an adequate protection system in digital spaces for the younger generation.

Lestari acknowledged that violence in digital spaces has real impacts on society, including women and children.

The impacts include damaging reputation, destroying mental health, disrupting education, and threatening the physical safety of victims.

These threats, she stressed, must be addressed together by stakeholders and society through enhanced digital literacy and understanding of adequate digital protection policies.

Because, Lestari emphasised, a safe digital space capable of accelerating development processes must be realised as part of creating a future generation with competitive advantage. This requires coordinated efforts between all relevant parties and the broader community.