Interior Minister Instructs Regional Authorities to Incorporate Social Media Restrictions for Children into Medium-Term Development Plans
Jakarta — Interior Minister Tito Karnavian has instructed regional authorities to incorporate social media access restrictions for children under 16 years old into their Medium-Term Regional Development Plans (RPJMD).
He stated that the ministry will oversee this programme to become mainstream within the five-year development planning process for regional governments.
“We will ensure this programme becomes mainstream in regional government planning, both in the RPJMD and five-year planning cycles,” Tito said following a coordination meeting to implement Government Regulation No. 17/2025 with relevant ministries and agencies at the Communications and Digital Ministry building in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (11 March 2026).
The programme will also receive budgetary support through Regional Budget allocations (APBD).
“This will involve the three most important Regional Work Units (OPD): the Information and Communications Service, the Education Service, and the Child Protection Service. The regions will be monitored through village development planning meetings (Musrenbang) via the Directorate General of Regional Development, and when it becomes part of the APBD, it will be monitored by the Directorate General of Regional Finance,” Tito explained.
The ministry will also send a circular letter to regional authorities to ensure implementation is adapted to local wisdom and traditions.
“They can use the government regulation as a reference, along with circular letters from the Interior Ministry or technical ministries, but they can also create regional regulations. If it involves the Regional Representative Council (DPRD), or a regional head regulation specific to each area’s characteristics, that is fine,” Tito said.
The Interior Ministry will subsequently provide rewards and incentives to regional authorities that successfully implement social media access restrictions.
He stated that rewards can take the form of financial incentives, providing regional governments with additional funding for their success, not merely certificates.
However, the ministry will coordinate the technical details of reward distribution with Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid, including which and how many regions will be eligible for recognition.