MPR Leadership Welcomes Issuance of Regulation Prohibiting Children Under 16 from Accessing Social Media

Deputy Speaker of the MPR, Lestari Moerdijat, welcomed the government for issuing a regulation that bans children under 16 from accessing social media. The issuance of Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Administrators in Child Protection (PP Tunas) is seen as a government step to strengthen child protection in the digital world.

‘This policy is worth appreciating, as it shows the state’s presence in protecting Indonesian children in the digital space. Child protection is not only about safety, but also an important part of education and character formation of the nation’s youth,’ Lestari said in a written statement on Saturday, 7 March 2026, quoted from ANTARA.

The regulation gives the government the authority to delay access to accounts for children under 16 on high-risk digital platforms.

Implementation of the policy will begin on 28 March 2026, with phased deactivation of children’s accounts on platforms categorised as high-risk.

‘As part of the educational process, children need to be protected from exposure to negative content, disinformation, digital violence, and exploitation practices in cyberspace that could harm their character development,’ Lestari said.

She added that the state must also take responsibility in managing the digital space to ensure the continuity of the education process and the character formation of the younger generation.

The success of policy implementation will depend heavily on the support of all parties, especially families.

‘Protecting children in the digital space, in essence, is protecting the future of the nation. This policy should become part of a joint movement to ensure that the education and growth of the next generation proceed in a healthy, safe, and dignified manner,’ Lestari said.