Parliament Member Calls for Government Guidelines to Enforce Social Media Ban for Children Under 16

Jakarta — A member of Commission I at the Indonesian House of Representatives, Oleh Soleh, has stated that the government must promptly prepare implementation guidelines and technical instructions following the Ministry of Communication and Digital’s issuance of regulations prohibiting social media use for children under 16 years of age.

According to him, implementation guidelines (juklak) and technical instructions (juknis) serve as operational guides for field implementation. He expressed full support for the Ministry of Communication and Digital’s policy initiative.

“After the regulations are issued, the government must immediately prepare implementation and technical guidelines so that implementation is clear and does not cause confusion,” Oleh said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He assessed that the government’s action was appropriate and aligned with aspirations he has repeatedly communicated regarding child protection in digital spaces. He opined that children under 16 years old are not yet at an appropriate age to own social media accounts.

“I have consistently advocated for this as part of efforts to protect children from the negative impacts of the digital world,” he said.

He believes that at this age, children should be focused on learning activities and personal development, without being disrupted by distractions from social media.

“Children under 16 years old should focus on learning and developing their abilities. Their education and development must not be disrupted by social media use that is inappropriate for their age,” he stated.

Additionally, he encouraged the Ministry of Communication and Digital to conduct broad public awareness campaigns so that the policy can be well understood by parents, schools, and digital platform operators.

Through such measures, he hopes that child protection in digital spaces will proceed more optimally whilst creating a safer digital environment for young people.

“Awareness campaigns must be conducted extensively. The Ministry of Communication and Digital needs to engage various institutions, including relevant ministries, educational institutions, and community organisations so that this regulation is truly understood and implemented effectively,” he said.