IDAI Supports Social Media Restrictions for Children in PP Tunas Regulation
The Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI) has voiced full support for the implementation of Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic Systems in Child Protection (PP Tunas). This endorsement comes alongside the enactment of Ministerial Regulation on Communication and Digital Affairs Number 9 of 2026, which regulates age restrictions on social media usage.
Under this policy, children under the age of 16 are required to deactivate their accounts on several digital platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.
Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, Chair of the IDAI Central Board, views the social media restriction policy as a long-awaited important step by the medical community. He highlighted growing concerns over the negative impacts of social media on child development.
“This policy has long been anticipated by the medical community, given the increasingly worrying negative effects of social media on child growth and development. IDAI welcomes and fully supports the implementation of PP Tunas as part of efforts to save Indonesia’s golden generation,” Piprim stated on Saturday (28/3).
“However, we remind that this is an initial step. Protecting children from social media dangers is a marathon that must be carried out gradually and continuously. Age restrictions are not an effort to confine children from the outside world, but rather a collective responsibility to prepare them more maturely,” he added.
IDAI has consistently warned about the dangers of early gadget exposure, particularly in the first two years of life, which is a crucial phase for brain development.
“From the start, we have firmly stated that children under two years old or in the first 1,000 days of life should not have access to gadgets. The first two years of life are a critical period for child development. This is the golden age of brain growth that requires two-way interaction and real sensory stimulation, which cannot be replaced by screens. Older children are now also experiencing various disorders due to excessive gadget and social media exposure,” he emphasised.
According to IDAI, this age restriction policy serves as an important intervention to protect children’s physical and mental health from digital risks they cannot yet handle independently.
“We all want our children to grow optimally. However, neurologically and psychologically, children are not yet ready to navigate the sea of social media alone. They are still learning to recognise risks, protect themselves, and manage emotions. PP Tunas is a protective fence at the edge of the cliff. It is not to keep them away from the wide world, but to protect them from falling before they are strong and ready,” he explained.
Realistic Threshold
IDAI considers the age limit of 16 years as a realistic threshold, as at that age children generally have better emotional and cognitive maturity to filter information.
Meanwhile, Fitri Hartanto, Chair of IDAI’s Coordinating Unit for Growth and Development and Social Paediatrics, stressed that this policy must be accompanied by strengthening the role of families.
“Age restrictions are important, but supervision remains essential. This is not about replacing parents’ roles with rules, but how these rules become a foundation that enables parents to perform their roles better. What we are safeguarding is not just children’s access to gadgets, but their future. Children need time to move, interact in real ways, and develop resilience. PP Tunas gives us space to restore that balance,” Fitri clarified.
She added that field conditions show not all children receive adequate supervision when accessing the internet. Gaps in digital literacy and family capacity underscore the importance of structural protection-based policies.
“Social media access restrictions are not a single solution. This is a good initial step, but it must be followed by strengthening family foundations. Children need figures to confide in. This role is ideally filled by parents. Parenting patterns need improvement so that parents can become friends to their children,” she said.
Furthermore, Fitri emphasised the importance of providing alternative activities for children after social media access restrictions are imposed, such as physical activities and direct social interactions.
IDAI asserts that this policy is not to ban technology use, but to ensure children’s mental and psychological readiness before entering the complex digital space.
With around 70 million children under 16 in Indonesia, the country is one of the largest to implement social media restrictions for children. The initial implementation phase begins on 28 March 2026.
IDAI calls on all parties, from government, digital platforms, healthcare workers, to parents and educators, to collaborate in creating a healthy digital ecosystem for children.