From March 28, children's social media accounts will be deactivated; read the stages of Komdigi's new rules

The Ministry of Communications and Digital (Komdigi) has announced a strict policy to limit social media usage through Regulation PP Tunas. Starting 28 March 2026, all social media accounts belonging to users under the age of 16 will be deactivated progressively. The child social media restriction policy is a derivative of Minister of Communications and Digital Regulation No. 9 of 2026. The Minister of Communications and Digital, Meutya Hafid, said the move to restrict child social media is intended to protect children from threats such as pornography, cyberbullying, and addictive algorithms that harm mental health. Indonesia is now among the world’s leaders in imposing strict age limits on digital platforms. The deactivation process will not be instantaneous, but will proceed through three main stages that platforms must comply with. Several major platforms under close scrutiny by Komdigi include: “The government is here so that parents no longer have to fight the giants of algorithms alone,” said Meutya Hafid. She added that non-compliant PSEs will face administrative sanctions up to the suspension of services within Indonesia. Public, especially parents, are urged to provide immediate guidance to their children before the deadline. The government also provides an educational channel through digital literacy to help with the transition so that children remain productive without being exposed to age-inappropriate social media. The deactivation of child social media accounts will target personal accounts. For educational platforms or apps designed for children that have strict parental control features, exemptions will be granted subject to Komdigi’s technical audit (H-3). French President Emmanuel Macron supports Indonesia’s new rule to limit under-16s from social media. See the list of platforms that will be deactivated from 28 March 2026. Gender and child experts emphasise that the plan to cap child social media must be accompanied by parental digital literacy; without it, children may find ways to circumvent age restrictions.