Minister of Women and Child Protection Proposes Local Wisdom Games as Alternative to Social Media for Children

The Indonesian government has officially prohibited children under 16 years old from using social media through PP Tunas and its implementing regulation Permenkomdigi No. 9 of 2026. In response, Minister of Women and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi has proposed a solution for children who can no longer access social media: traditional games based on local wisdom rather than holding gadgets.

“One of the solutions we are offering is to maximise the use of traditional games based on local wisdom,” Arifah said during the PP Tunas Implementation Coordination Meeting on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.

According to Arifah, traditional games possess profound philosophy for building the character of Indonesian children. These games foster values such as respect for queuing, mutual appreciation, prohibition against cheating, and the embedding of Pancasila values. “We observe that traditional games have very high philosophy in building Indonesian children’s character. These games require a minimum of two to ten participants, wherein children learn to queue, show respect, and avoid cheating. Without being explicitly taught, traditional games naturally instil Pancasila values,” she explained.

“Children do not see each other’s background. They will continue to play together regardless of their religion or cultural background,” she added.

The regulation will commence on 28 March 2026. Children aged under 16 will be unable to access high-risk accounts on eight major electronic service providers: YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Instagram, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.

Digital and Information Technology Minister Meutya Hafid acknowledged that implementing the regulation presents challenges, particularly as Indonesia becomes the first large nation to enforce such rules affecting approximately 70 million children under 16 years old. “This is certainly a challenge, but we must take steps to protect our children. It is not easy, yet we must proceed with the conviction that, despite the obstacles, we can implement it effectively and efficiently, God willing,” Meutya said.