Experts Assess PP Tunas as Safeguarding Indonesia's Demographic Bonus

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Cybersecurity expert from Vaksincom, Alfons Tanujaya, believes that the introduction of Government Regulation number 17 of 2025 on the Protection of Electronic System Governance in Child Protection (PP Tunas) can safeguard the quality of the productive population entering Indonesia’s demographic bonus. The demographic bonus refers to a situation where the number of working-age population (15-64 years) exceeds the non-productive population (under 15 years and over 64 years), and without PP Tunas to protect the young generation in the digital space, the quality of the demographic bonus could potentially decline. “Imagine 10-20 years from now, the children who will carry the torch of the nation’s continuity are exposed to chaotic content. Hoax content, they (young people) cannot distinguish, so they are easily influenced, easily deceived,” Alfons told ANTARA on Thursday. Alfons, who is also the Deputy General Chairman 2 of the National Information and Communication Technology Entrepreneurs Association (Aptiknas), stated that PP Tunas actually benefits not only the state but also parents who are currently raising generations alpha and beta. Previously, parents had to struggle alone to understand the vast digital space, but with PP Tunas mandating digital platforms, especially tech giants, to provide protection for children, parents’ burdens in digital parenting can be lightened. Through this regulation, children’s human rights can also be fulfilled, namely that children can access content appropriate to their age development. “If parents are up against PSE, how can they win? Fighting Facebook, Meta? Fighting YouTube, TikTok? No parent can win. But with this regulation, they (children) are protected,” said Alfons. Previously, PP Tunas will be effective from 28 March 2026 in Indonesia, limiting children from high-risk digital platforms, especially for the initial implementation applying to eight digital platforms: YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Instagram, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. As of Thursday (2/4), only two digital platforms, X and Bigo Live, have full compliance with PP Tunas. Meanwhile, TikTok and Roblox are categorised as platforms that are partially cooperative with PP Tunas. Then, the other four platforms, Facebook, Threads, Instagram, and YouTube, still do not meet the provisions of PP Tunas. The government has followed procedures in accordance with applicable laws against non-compliant platforms. So far, the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi) has issued a second summons to the owners of those platforms, namely Meta and Google.