Social Media Ban for Under-16s: Minister Proposes Local Wisdom and Traditional Games

Jakarta — The Indonesian government has officially banned children under 16 years old from using social media through Government Regulation Tunas and its derivative regulation, Digital and Telecommunications Minister Decree Number 9 of 2026. Responding to this development, Minister for Women Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi has proposed an alternative solution for children no longer using social media.

She suggests children engage in traditional games based on local wisdom instead of using gadgets.

“One of the options we are proposing is to maximise traditional games rooted in local wisdom,” Arifah said during an implementation coordinating meeting for Government Regulation Tunas on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.

According to Arifah, traditional games possess high philosophical value in building the character of Indonesian children. This includes fostering queuing discipline, mutual respect, discouraging cheating, and instilling Pancasila values.

“We observe that traditional games have profound philosophy in building the character of Indonesian children. In traditional games, no one plays alone — at minimum there are two to ten players. This teaches children how to queue, respect one another, and not cheat. Unknowingly, these games instil Pancasila values,” she explained.

“Children do not see each other’s backgrounds; they will play together regardless of their religion or cultural background,” she added.

The regulation will take effect on 28 March 2026. Children under 16 will be unable to access high-risk accounts.

For the initial phase, the regulation applies to eight electronic system operators: YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Instagram, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.

Digital and Telecommunications Minister Meutya Hafid acknowledged challenges in implementing the regulation, noting that Indonesia is the first major nation to enforce such restrictions, with approximately 70 million children under 16.

“This is certainly a challenge, but we must take steps to protect our children. It is not easy, but we must proceed. With the outcomes of today’s meeting, we are all optimistic that despite the challenges, we shall be able to implement this effectively and efficiently, God willing,” Meutya said.