Indonesia's Regulation Becomes Global Trend, Effects Already Being Felt
Jakarta — Indonesia’s regulation on restricting social media access for minors has become a trend spreading across many countries. The Indonesian Government through the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) introduced PP Tunas in March 2025.
The regulation classifies children aged 13-18 separately for accessing social media. However, Indonesia has not implemented a total ban like Australia.
Australia became the first country to formally prohibit social media access for children under 16 years old from December 2025. This measure subsequently attracted the attention of other countries planning to implement similar regulations.
The discussion extends beyond Asia, with Malaysia and India considering similar measures. European countries are also deliberating comparable policies. In January, the United Kingdom considered banning social media to protect children in the digital sphere.
Although Britain’s regulation has not been formally established, its effects are already evident. Social media platforms are beginning to demonstrate goodwill in protecting children on their services.
Instagram, a platform owned by Meta, has stated it will begin warning parents who register for the optional ‘supervision’ settings if their children attempt to access content related to self-harm or suicide.
“This warning is built upon our ongoing efforts to help protect children from potentially harmful content on Instagram,” the platform said in a statement.
“We have strict policies against content that promotes or glorifies suicide and self-harm,” the statement added.
Instagram’s existing policy immediately blocks searches related to self-harm and suicide. The platform also stated that the application will redirect such searches to necessary support resources.
The addition of parent warnings when children search for harmful content will begin rolling out next week in several countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. It should be noted that this feature only applies to parents who have enabled the ‘supervision’ setting.
Governments worldwide are collectively strengthening efforts to protect children on social media, including Indonesia through PP Tunas and other countries planning to implement regulations similar to Australia’s approach.
In the United Kingdom, measures are being taken to prevent children’s access to pornographic content. This has prompted tension with the United States, which cites concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression.