Key points
- Indonesia plans to ban social media for children under 16.
- Accounts will be deactivated on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox.
- The ban is justified by the influence of pornography, cyberbullying, fraud and the development of addiction.
The Indonesian government plans to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media and popular online platforms, according to the BBC.
According to Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs Meuti Hafid, from 28 March 2026, accounts belonging to users under the age of 16 on so-called “high-risk platforms” will be deactivated.
These include YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.
The minister explained that this decision was made due to the growing threats to children online, including the influence of pornography, cyberbullying, fraud, and the risk of developing social media addiction.
As a working mother with two children, especially a teenage son, I don’t have much time to constantly monitor what my son is doing in the digital world. Such government regulations really help us as parents to get rid of our concerns.
– Amanda Kusumo, 42.
According to UNICEF data for 2023, about half of the 510 Indonesian children surveyed have already encountered sexual content on social media.
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