Komdigi urged to ensure digital platforms comply with child protection rules

Jakarta (ANTARA) — The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has asked the government to ensure digital platforms and social media adhere to child-protection rules, including a policy of delaying account creation for children under 16 on high-risk platforms.

‘The policy of delaying access to accounts for children under 16 on high-risk digital platforms demonstrates the state’s commitment to the best interests of the child. Therefore children have the right to access information and to express themselves, while at the same time also having the right to be protected from various risks in the digital space,’ said Kawiyan, a member of KPAI’s Sub-cluster for Child Protection in the Digital Space, contacted in Jakarta on Saturday.

He welcomed the steps taken by the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) in issuing Ministerial Regulation No. 9 of 2026 as the implementing regulation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Management in Child Protection (PP Tunas).

‘This regulation is an important national step in strengthening protection for children from various risks in the digital space such as pornography, cyberbullying, exploitation, online scams, and other harmful content,’ Kawiyan said.

He said that as children are increasingly vulnerable to the negative impacts of technology and social media algorithms, the state needs to provide stronger protection so that the digital space does not jeopardise children’s growth and development.

Nevertheless, Kawiyan emphasised the importance of ensuring the regulation is implemented effectively, particularly in ensuring platform compliance.

He noted that the question of how the government can ensure digital platforms truly comply with the rules becomes crucial, given that the technical authority to deactivate accounts, block access, or downrank content lies with the electronic system operators (PSE) or the platforms themselves.

‘Many of these platforms are global companies, so the government needs to ensure there are mechanisms for oversight, compliance, and law enforcement against electronic system operators,’ Kawiyan said.

He added that digital platforms must have clear obligations to verify age, limit children’s access, and respond promptly to any violations that could harm children.

KPAI also warned against a disconnect between regulations deemed good and the level of compliance by digital platforms in their implementation.