President Emmanuel Macron Praises Indonesia's Under-16 Social Media Restriction Regulation

French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Indonesia’s strategic move to restrict social media access for children under 16 through Government Regulation PP TUNAS. He conveyed his support in a post on X on Friday, 6 March 2026, praising the Indonesian government for adopting a policy that aligns with France’s child-protection framework. Macron noted that France’s National Assembly had approved a similar ban in January for under-15s, and he urged others to join the movement.

In Indonesia, the policy is reinforced by Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs Regulation No. 9 of 2026, a derivative of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic Systems in Child Protection, commonly referred to as PP TUNAS. Minister Meutya Hafid said the government will formally suspend access to accounts for those under 16 on high-risk digital platforms, including social media and networking services.

Evaluation by the government identifies several platforms that fall into a category requiring deactivation of accounts belonging to users under 16. Meutya explained that the transition will be monitored until all digital platform providers comply with the technical requirements in Indonesia, placing the country among pioneer digital-child-protection nations alongside Australia and France.

Komdigi has barred under-16s from having accounts on a number of social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X, with the deletion of such accounts slated to begin on 28 March 2026. Details on the steps, the platform list, and the provisions of Permen Komdigi No 9 Year 2026 are available in official communications. The latest 2026 guidelines explain the legal bounds, privacy considerations and parental-coaching tips for social media use by minors.

Beyond BNPT, Komdigi has collaborated with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Village, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration in the PIP programme. The Ministry of Health emphasises that PP TUNAS (PP 17/2025) marks a milestone for child protection in the digital world, with a 16-year age limit for high-risk social media outlined. The age-based restriction is described as an initial ‘shock therapy’ to raise collective awareness of digital child protection.

Reports of protests linked to corruption and restrictions on social media have resulted in casualties and injuries.