Three in Five Children Fake Their Age to Access Social Media, Says Deputy Minister

Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Nezar Patria has stated that a government-referenced survey indicates three out of five children are known to falsify their ages in order to access social media platforms. This practice is cited as one of the initial challenges in implementing Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 concerning Electronic System Governance for Child Protection, known as PP TUNAS.

“There is a survey showing that out of five children, three are confirmed to falsify their ages to get onto social media. This has become common,” Nezar said in a confirmed statement in Jakarta on Sunday. According to him, this practice presents a challenge for the implementation of PP TUNAS because the age verification process rests entirely within the systems owned by each digital platform.

The government has requested all platforms to strengthen age identification technology without disregarding personal data protection provisions. “We have conveyed to the platforms that they are the ones who can regulate this with the technological solutions they possess. However, age identification must also comply with the principles of personal data protection,” he explained.

Nezar revealed that a number of platforms are beginning to implement stricter systems. Through the use of algorithms, platforms can recognise usage patterns of accounts suspected to belong to underage users, including when accessing content inappropriate for their age group. “Some platforms have started to impose restrictions. There are children who previously had accounts but can no longer access them because they have been identified as underage users,” he stressed.

Beyond technological reinforcement by platforms, Nezar considers parental involvement to remain the primary factor in protecting children in the digital space. The government is also encouraging companion account mechanisms or parental guidance so that children’s digital activities can be supervised more effectively. “As parents, we must indeed be more intensive in accompanying our children. The family approach remains an important part of child protection in the digital space,” he said.

Nezar explained that Indonesia is the first country in Southeast Asia to implement PP TUNAS. The policy is now beginning to attract the attention of several countries in the region.