Indonesia's Regulations Go Global, More Countries Follow Suit

The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), introduced regulations restricting social media access for children under age via Government Regulation Tunas in March 2025. These rules will be enforced to prohibit children under 16 from having social media accounts starting in March 2026. Australia had already implemented strict regulations of this kind in December 2025. Other countries are also planning to implement them or have already done so. Most recently, Norway has announced it will submit a draft law this year, making it the latest country to seek a ban on social media for children under 16. The country added that technology companies will be responsible for verifying their users’ ages. “We are introducing this law because we want a childhood where children can be children. Playing, friendships, and daily life must not be taken over by algorithms and screens,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in a statement, quoted from AFP on Friday (24/4/2026). “This is an important step to protect children’s digital lives,” Støre added. Several European countries, such as France, Spain, and Denmark, have stated they will introduce a digital adulthood age for social media. The European Commission has also clarified its determination to take action to protect children and adolescents, particularly by launching an age verification application in mid-April, which will soon be available to European citizens. “I hope technology companies ensure that age restrictions are respected. Children cannot be left responsible for staying away from platforms they are not allowed to use,” said Norway’s Minister for Digitalisation and Public Governance, Karianne Tung. “That responsibility lies with these service providers. They must implement effective age verification and comply with the law from day one,” she emphasised. The government stated that the number of children owning mobile phones or using social media has decreased due to several measures taken, including national screen time guidelines and recommendations for phone-free schools.