Under-16 Accounts on YouTube, TikTok, and Roblox Officially Blocked From March 28

The government, through the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), has issued a new rule requiring the deactivation of accounts belonging to children under 16. There are eight major digital platforms currently targeted by the access restriction, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (formerly Twitter), Bigo Live, and the online gaming platform Roblox. The move is laid out in Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs Regulation Minister (Permen) No. 9 of 2026, issued in Jakarta on Friday, 6 March 2026. This regulation is a technical rule or derivative of Government Regulation (PP) No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Administration in the Protection of Children (PP Tunas). The eight platforms explicitly include YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (formerly Twitter), Bigo Live, and Roblox. ‘The process will be carried out gradually until all platforms fulfil their compliance obligations,’ Meutya said in a formal statement. The decision to target these eight popular apps was made because Indonesian children are deemed to be in a digital emergency with increasingly real threats. Meutya detailed the threats as including exposure to pornographic content, cyberbullying, online scams, and most worryingly, problems of addiction or dependence on platforms. She emphasised that the issuance of this rule is a concrete step by the state to ensure families are protected. ‘The government is here so that parents no longer have to fight the giants of algorithms alone,’ said Meutya. The publication of Permen also marks a new chapter in the global technology regulation landscape. Meutya claims that this age-appropriate access delaying policy makes Indonesia the first non-Western country in the world to take such a firm stance. Komdigi acknowledged that children are likely to complain about losing their accounts, and parents may be confused in facing protests from their children. However, Meutya believes this is the best path to ensure the younger generation grows up intact. ‘We are taking this step to reclaim the sovereignty of our children’s future. We want technology to humanize people, not sacrifice our children’s childhood,’ Meutya concluded.