The Indonesian government is set to introduce new digital child protection laws, limiting social media access based on age.
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| Indonesia plans to impose age restrictions on social media to protect children from online threats, including pornography, gambling, and cyberbullying. Image Courtesy: Antara |
Jakarta, Indonesia — February 2, 2025:
Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs has announced plans to introduce age restrictions for social media access in an effort to protect children in the digital space.
Minister Meutya Hafid revealed that a decree has been signed to form a special team that will review these restrictions, with a focus on child protection in the online environment. The team, which will start operating on February 3, includes representatives from various sectors, including government ministries, academia, child education experts, and child protection organizations like Save The Children.
Hafid shared that President Prabowo Subianto has emphasized the urgency of finalizing the regulations, with a deadline of one to two months. The primary aim of the new regulations is to combat the rise of child access to harmful content, especially pornography, as Indonesia ranks fourth globally for access to explicit material.
Additionally, the initiative will address other digital threats to children, including online gambling, sexual violence, and bullying. According to 2024 data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Indonesia has recorded over five million cases of child pornography in the past four years.
The move comes as internet penetration in Indonesia continues to rise, with 79.5% of the population online as of 2024. Among Generation Z, internet usage is particularly high, reaching 87.02%. Internet access is also widespread among younger children born after 2013, with 48.10% of this group online.
This regulatory shift aims to create a safer digital environment for children in Indonesia.