PP Tunas Officially in Effect: Regulation to Protect Children in the Digital Space

The Indonesian government has taken a strategic step to protect children from the risks of the digital world through the issuance of Government Regulation (PP) Number 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Providers in Child Protection, or PP Tunas. Minister of Communication and Digital (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid emphasised that the policy serves as a crucial milestone for Indonesia in safeguarding the younger generation in the digital era. “We should be proud, as Indonesia is one of the pioneering non-Western countries to take firm steps in child protection in the digital space,” she stated in a press release received by Kompas.com on Thursday (19/3/2026). The regulation, signed by President Prabowo Subianto on 28 March 2025, represents the state’s commitment to creating a safer digital space for children. The introduction of PP Tunas is driven by the increasing vulnerability of children amid the rapid development of technology. In recent years, children have become increasingly active internet users but are also more exposed to age-inappropriate content, personal data exploitation, and unhealthy digital usage patterns. The regulation was drafted through a long and participatory process starting from January 2024. The government involved various ministries and agencies, civil society organisations, digital industry players, academics, as well as children’s groups and parents. This process ensures that the resulting rules are not only responsive but also realistic to implement. There are three main obligations for platforms: providing age-based content classification, implementing reliable user age verification mechanisms, and offering easily accessible parental control features. With these provisions, digital platforms must no longer merely provide services but also ensure that the systems they build are safe for children. In implementing PP Tunas, Indonesia adopts a risk-based approach rather than a total ban. The level of regulation is adjusted according to the potential risks of each platform to children’s safety and development. Platforms with high risks—for example, those using addictive algorithms, having weak content moderation, or inadequate privacy protection—will face stricter restrictions. Meanwhile, platforms with good protection systems are granted flexibility. As a follow-up, on 6 March 2026, the government issued Minister of Communication and Digital Regulation (Permenkomdigi) Number 9 of 2026 as technical guidelines, including the classification of platforms based on their risk levels.