Implementation of PP Tunas Regulation Seen to Mitigate Impacts of Excessive Digital Exposure on Children
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Chairman of the Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI) Central Board, Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, assessed that the implementation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on Child Protection in the Governance of Electronic Systems for Child Protection (PP Tunas) mitigates the negative impacts of excessive digital use on children.
According to him, considering the urgency of PP Tunas’s enactment in the current child health context, the situation is already quite concerning with issues such as excessive screen time among some children.
“Its impacts can be quite broad; for children under two years old, speech delays are increasingly common, including virtual autism due to gadget exposure,” said Dr Piprim to ANTARA in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Dr Piprim stated that various symptoms resulting from gadget use are now commonly observed. However, treatment or recovery can be achieved by stopping gadget use for one to two months.
Excessive gadget activity, Piprim continued, is also one of the causes of mental health disorders among children and adolescents.
“As a result, children can become obese, experience sleep disturbances, irritability, tantrums, and so on. This is the impact if we lack rules governing gadgets for children,” he said.
In this regard, the Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI) welcomes the introduction of PP Tunas as a form of the state’s presence through regulation.
Dr Piprim conveyed that the regulation is highly beneficial on a macro level but must be accompanied by a supportive ecosystem to protect children in the digital world.
For instance, protection from cyberbullying requires practical technical measures in the field to prevent violations. Examples include default platform settings that automatically protect children from inappropriate access, along with security features on various platforms used by children.
Additionally, he continued, sanctions could be linked to the Child Protection Law to ensure PP Tunas is applied effectively.
Previously, PP Tunas has been in effect since 28 March 2026 to restrict children from high-risk digital platforms, creating a safer and more conducive digital ecosystem for children.
The government, through the Ministry of Communication and Digital, affirmed it will follow procedures in accordance with applicable rules against non-compliant platforms.
Kemkomdigi has also issued Ministerial Regulation of Communication and Digital No. 9 of 2026 as the implementing regulation for PP Tunas, effective from 28 March 2026.
Through this policy, accounts of children under 16 years old on high-risk platforms will begin to be deactivated, including on video-sharing services and social media.