Government Urged to Establish a Monitoring Mechanism Following Ban on Under-16s Accessing Social Media

Jakarta — Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission I, Dave Laksono, has called on the government to exercise proportional oversight following the publication of rules prohibiting children under 16 from accessing social media. One potential oversight mechanism is to direct digital platforms to provide child-friendly educational spaces. In this way, the policy would not merely sit on paper but become part of the education and child-protection ecosystem. Dave also urged the government and society to promote digital literacy from an early age, so that children are equipped to understand information and distinguish between what is beneficial and what is dangerous. He said that, with this approach, access to knowledge remains open while the risks facing children can be minimised, and implementation should be prudent to ensure it does not close off opportunities for children to learn and grow. ‘So, the policy is not about restricting young people from information, but ensuring they have access that is healthy, safe, and appropriate to their development stage,’ Dave said. ‘The Commission I of the DPR RI stands ready to support the policy to run effectively, balancing protection with learning opportunities for the nation’s next generation,’ he added. Previously reported, the Ministry of Communications and Digital (Komdigi) will limit access to social media for under-16s from 28 March 2026. The policy is part of the government’s measures to bolster child protection in the digital space. Under the policy, access for under-16 accounts on high-risk digital platforms — including social media and networking services — will be deferred. Indonesia thus becomes the first non-Western country to implement an age-based delay on access to high-risk digital platforms.