PWNU DIY: Social Media Restrictions Crucial to Protect Children from Negative Impacts

Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Chairman of the Tanfidziyah Regional Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PWNU) for the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), KH Ahmad Zuhdi Muhdlor, considers restrictions on social media use for children under 16 years old essential to protect them from negative impacts that could damage their morals.

“Children are not yet able to think deeply about the impacts they witness on social media. Something perceived as heroic can be immediately imitated,” said Zuhdi when contacted in Yogyakarta on Saturday.

PWNU DIY, he said, supports the restrictions on social media use for children, which will begin on 28 March 2026.

According to Zuhdi, children do not yet have adequate abilities to filter various contents on social media, such as violence and pornography, thus risking imitation without understanding the consequences.

He noted that weak supervision makes it difficult to control children’s social media use, both at school and at home.

He assessed that the use of mobile phones in learning activities also facilitates children’s access to social media.

“The current teaching and learning process also uses mobile phones, which have now become the ‘commanders’ of social media, so adjustments are needed,” he said.

Zuhdi emphasised that social media restrictions must be accompanied by strict supervision and parental involvement to control children’s gadget use.

He added that these restrictions are an important step due to the still unstable psychological condition of children, who are easily influenced by social media content.

Previously, on Friday night (27/3), Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid affirmed that the Indonesian government will not compromise with digital platforms that fail to comply with the mandate to protect children in the digital space in line with Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Operators in Child Protection (PP Tunas).

“The government instructs all digital platforms doing business in Indonesia to immediately align their products, features, and services in accordance with applicable regulations. There is no compromise on compliance, and every business entity operating in Indonesia is obliged to comply with the laws applicable in Indonesia,” Meutya stressed.