Ministry of Communication and Digital Restricts Eight Applications for Children Under 16 Years Old
The Indonesian Government through the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) has officially issued strict regulations regarding age restrictions for digital platform users.
Through Ministry Regulation (Permen) Komdigi Number 9 Year 2026, children under 16 years old are prohibited from accessing several applications deemed to pose high risks.
Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid stated that this measure was taken so that the state can effectively protect children’s development in the digital world.
This policy stems from Government Regulation Number 17 Year 2025 concerning child protection in the digital realm. The account blocking process for underage users is scheduled to become effective on 28 March 2026.
In the initial implementation phase, eight popular applications have been included on the target list for account blocking for users under 16 years old.
The primary objective of this regulation is to create a safer digital ecosystem for young people. The government has identified genuine threats surrounding children online, ranging from exposure to negative content, cyberbullying, to acute addiction problems.
These conditions are believed to have negative impacts on mental health, social interaction capabilities, and physical wellbeing.
This situation prompted the government to promptly establish strict regulations governing children’s access to various high-risk digital platforms.
This policy also positions Indonesia as the first non-Western nation to take firm action in restricting digital access based on user age for public safety purposes.
Teenagers under 16 years old are considered not yet to have sufficient psychological maturity to browse social media without strict supervision. The risk of exposure to vast and unfiltered information is feared to disrupt the stability of their psychological development.
According to child and family clinical psychologist Ayank Irma, M.Psi., Psikolog, regulations from the government are often far more effective in providing protection compared to relying solely on parental supervision at home.
Ayank explained that at that age, children are still in a developmental phase that requires clear boundaries or parameters.