PP Tunas Takes Effect Tomorrow, YouTube Offers Alternatives to Blocking Children's Accounts

The government will begin implementing the Child User Protection in Electronic Systems Regulation, or PP Tunas, from tomorrow, Saturday (28/3/2026). One key point of concern is the restriction of digital access for children under 16 years old on eight popular applications, including YouTube. Ahead of the regulation’s implementation, YouTube Indonesia has stated its support for the government’s objectives in protecting children online. According to YouTube Indonesia, effective regulations should consider differences in child and adolescent development stages by age and provide space for parents to set appropriate boundaries. Therefore, via Google’s official blog page, the YouTube Indonesia team has offered alternatives to total account blocking for children, namely utilising YouTube’s supervision features. YouTube claims this approach has proven effective, as 92% of Indonesian parents using the supervision feature report that it makes the digital environment safer and more controlled. YouTube assesses that if accounts of users under 16 are comprehensively restricted, children will lose access to these protection features, while parents lose their control. Additionally, YouTube highlights its role as one of Indonesia’s largest learning platforms. This platform, which first launched in February 2005, is seen as helping to broaden access to education, including for students in remote areas. YouTube details that around 90% of Indonesian parents reportedly agree that the platform makes learning more accessible. Thus, comprehensive restrictions are feared to widen the education access gap. The educational creator ecosystem on YouTube also contributes to the education sector. Since 2020, the Educreator Academy programme has helped teachers and creators build digital learning content, including 96% of user teachers who have integrated YouTube content into their lesson plans. YouTube emphasises that child protection in the digital world requires a more comprehensive approach, not just access restrictions, but also education, collaboration, and strengthening the role of parents. Looking ahead, this company under Google’s umbrella urges the government to continue involving various parties in developing more contextual, risk-based policies. The aim is for child protection to proceed in balance with access to information and learning opportunities.