KPAI Welcomes Restrictions on Children's Social Media

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) welcomed the issuance of rules restricting access to social media for children and adolescents issued by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. The rules are set out in Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs Regulation Number 9 of 2026 as the implementation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of the Administration of Electronic Systems in Child Protection (PP TUNAS).

KPAI Commissioner Kawiyan, Sub-Cluster for Child Protection in the Digital Space, said the regulation represents an important step by the state to strengthen child protection from various risks in the digital space, such as pornography, cyberbullying, exploitation, online fraud, and other dangerous content.

He said the policy of delaying account access for children under 16 on digital platforms demonstrates the government’s commitment to the best interests of the child. Children, he said, do indeed have the right to access information and to express themselves, but they also have the right to protection from various threats in the digital space.

“In a situation where children are increasingly vulnerable to the negative impacts of technology and social media algorithms, the state must indeed come forward with stronger protection so that the digital space does not become a space that endangers growing and development of children,” Kawiyan said in a written statement, quoted on Sunday (8 March 2026).

Nevertheless, he noted that the government must ensure the policy is implemented effectively. One key issue is how the government ensures digital platforms and social media comply with the rules that have been set.

Kawiyan emphasised that the technical authority to deactivate accounts, block access, or downgrade content essentially rests with the electronic system operators (PSE) or digital platforms, which are largely global companies. Therefore, the government is urged to ensure robust supervisory, compliance, and enforcement mechanisms against electronic system providers. Digital platforms also need clear obligations to verify ages, restrict child access, and respond promptly to any violations that could endanger children.

“There must not be a gap between regulation that is very good and the level of compliance by digital platforms,” he said.