Indonesia’s Communication Minister Reveals Social Media Ban for Minors

Hafid told the media that he had signed a government regulation that means children under 16 can no longer have accounts on high-risk digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox.

The implementation will begin gradually, starting from March 28, until all platforms meet their compliance obligations.

“The basis is clear. Our children face increasingly real threats – from exposure to pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud and, most importantly, addiction. The government is here to make sure parents no longer have to fight alone against giant algorithms.” Hafid said.

He added that the government took this step as its best effort to restore sovereignty over children’s futures amid a digital emergency.

“We are aware that the implementation of this regulation may cause some inconvenience at first. Children may complain and parents may be confused about how to respond to their children’s complaints,” Hafid said.

Earlier this week, Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs conducted a surprise inspection of Meta Platforms’ Jakarta office over concerns about the handling of harmful content on its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The ministry said in a statement that through this audit, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology issued a stern warning about Meta’s low level of compliance with national regulations.

The Associated Press has sent email requests for comment to TikTok and Meta but has not yet received a response.

Indonesia will be the first country in Southeast Asia to restrict children’s access to social media.

Restrictions on social media access for young people began in Australia in December 2025. Social media companies have revoked access to approximately 4.7 million accounts determined to belong to children in Australia.