KPAI Monitors Implementation of ministerial Regulation Limiting Children's Social Media Use
The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has assessed that it is not yet appropriate to elevate the ministerial regulation concerning restrictions on social media usage by children under 16 years of age to the status of law. KPAI has stated that it is preferable at this time to oversee the implementation of the ministerial regulation.
“I believe this regulation restricting social media for children is something positive for protecting child development and safeguarding children’s mental health. Regarding whether this regulation should be elevated to law or a higher level of regulation, we should first observe its implementation,” said KPAI Commissioner Aris Adi Leksono in an interview on Sunday (8 March 2026).
He stated that it is more important to assess the extent to which the ministerial regulation positively impacts social media for children. “To what extent will this create a child-friendly digital environment, protect children from negative content, and shield children from influences that damage their mental health,” he added.
Aris also discussed how to implement the ministerial regulation. According to him, responsibility and collaboration among all parties as well as extensive socialisation are needed for the positive regulation to function effectively.
“How should it be implemented? This certainly becomes a shared responsibility and collaboration. We encourage the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs and other relevant parties to intensify and expand socialisation and education,” he explained.
“Particularly, electronic service providers should conduct education and strengthen digital literacy regarding this positive restrictive effort among those closest to students—teachers, parents, and the children themselves as active subjects in using devices,” he continued.
Additionally, he stated that it is important to build awareness among those close to children in implementing the regulation. The enforcement of sanctions, he added, is also crucial.
“Beyond intensifying socialisation and education and building awareness among those close to children to collaborate in implementing this ministerial regulation, it is equally important that the ministry with authority enforce strict sanctions or penalties against electronic service providers that violate the ministerial regulation,” he said.
Previously, the Government through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) officially postponed access to a number of high-risk digital platforms for children under 16 years of age.
This policy follows the issuance of derivative regulations from Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 concerning the Governance of Electronic System Operators in Child Protection, known as the PP Tunas regulation.
Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid stated that these derivative regulations were issued as a step to strengthen child protection in the digital space.
“Today we are issuing a ministerial regulation as a derivative of PP Tunas. Through this regulation, the government is postponing access to accounts of children under 16 years of age on high-risk digital platforms, including social media and social networking services,” said Meutya in a statement on Friday (6 March).