Educators: Restrictions on social media access help children focus on learning

Tangerang (ANTARA) - Educators in Tangerang City, Banten, have welcomed the restrictions on children’s access to Meta’s social media platforms to support the implementation of PP Tunas, aimed at forming healthy habits for children and enabling them to focus on learning.

“We hope that these restrictions will help improve learning focus and shape healthier social media usage habits in both home and school environments,” said Deputy Principal of State Junior High School 18 in Tangerang City, Muhamad Syahroni, in Tangerang on Friday.

He explained that after PP Tunas was enacted, the school immediately conducted socialisation to students regarding wise and positive use of social media.

According to him, restricting gadget use, especially during teaching and learning activities, is an important step to maintain students’ concentration.

“Alhamdulillah, we have already socialised to the children about using social media positively. For the restrictions, the children also understand that social media use should not be continuous, especially during school hours, as it can disrupt focus,” said Syahroni.

“Usually, when learning activities begin, children are asked to hand in their mobile phones so they are not used during the learning process,” he added.

Previously, the Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid welcomed the good intentions of technology company Meta, owner of Facebook, Threads, and Instagram, to restrict children’s access to their social media platforms in accordance with Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Operators in Child Protection, or PP Tunas.

According to her, the company has changed the provisions in the Community Guidelines on its social media platforms. Based on the Community Guidelines for Meta’s social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads were originally accessible to children aged 13 and above.

Now, the platforms Facebook, Instagram, and Threads in Indonesia can only be accessed by users aged 16 and above, in line with government regulations.

The technology company also expressed its commitment to gradually deactivate accounts belonging to users under 16 years old, given that the number of their service users in Indonesia exceeds 100 million.

The gradual update regarding restrictions on children’s access to Meta’s social media platforms is expected to be completed on Friday (10/4).

Menkomdigi Meutya Hafid assessed that Meta’s compliance commitment demonstrates that technical challenges are not a reason for failing to comply with PP Tunas.

“Technical issues are actually not a hindrance. This is a matter of willingness, a matter of intent from major platforms to comply with the law in Indonesia,” she said.