On Social Media Restrictions, Minister Says Technology Must Not Sacrifice Children

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Minister of Communications and Digital (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid said that the decision to limit social media accounts for those under 16 is an effort by the government to protect the future of children. ‘This step we take to reclaim the sovereignty of our children’s future. We want technology to humanise people, not to sacrifice the childhood of our children,’ Meutya said in a press statement, quoted on Saturday (6 March 2026). Meutya explained the regulation considers various forms of risk in the digital space, from exposure to harmful content to the potential exploitation of children. ‘When the content is not problematic, excessive use of digital platforms can also lead to addiction that affects children’s mental health and development,’ she said. Meutya stated that the rule was made as evidence that the government wants to help parents face the challenges of the increasingly complex era of algorithms. In the initial phase, the government targets eight major social media and networking services, namely YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. This policy is set out in Minister of Communications and Digital Regulation No. 9 of 2026, which is a derivative of Government Regulation (PP) No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of the Administration of the Electronic System in Child Protection (PP Tunas).