Indonesia will restrict access to social media platforms for children under 16, its communications and digital ministry said on Friday (6 March), becoming the latest country to introduce online guardrails aimed at reducing the risks of addiction and cyberbullying.
Indonesia will restrict access to social media platforms for children under 16, its communications and digital ministry said on Friday (6 March), becoming the latest country to introduce online guardrails aimed at reducing the risks of addiction and cyberbullying.
Meutya Hafid, Indonesia's Communications and Digital Minister, said in a video statement that the government would "delay access" to social media accounts for children under 16 through a ministerial regulation issued on Friday.
Starting on 28 March, accounts owned by children under 16 on “high-risk platforms” will be gradually deactivated. Platforms affected include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Roblox.
"The process will be done gradually until all platforms fulfil their obligations," Meutya said, without elaborating on the specific requirements.
She acknowledged potential challenges for families.
"We realise this may cause discomfort in the beginning. Children may complain and parents may be confused about dealing with their complaints. Our children are facing risks, from cyberbullying and online fraud to, most importantly, addiction."
Internet penetration in Indonesia, a country of about 280 million people, reached 79.5% in 2024, according to a survey of 8,700 people by the Indonesia Internet Service Providers Association.
The survey showed that 48% of children under 12 had access to the internet, with some respondents in that age group using Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. It also found that internet penetration stood at 87% among Gen Z users aged 12 to 27.
A number of governments have imposed curbs on social media use by children amid mounting concerns about the impact of social media on the safety and mental health of minors..
Indonesia's neighbour Malaysia announced in November that it would also ban social media for users under the age of 16 starting in 2026.
Australia introduced a ban on social media for under-16s in December, and Spain said last month that it would also ban access to social media for minors under 16.
Iran's guards have said the important Strait is closed and anyone passing through will face "harsh measures". U.S. President ...
Two months after Indian negotiators worked in January to secure relie...
Iran’Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has rejected an offer of negotiations from the U.S. President, Donald Trump, amid the ong...
Former rapper turned politician Balendra Shah, was sworn in as Nepal’s prime minister on Friday, becoming the youngest leader in decades and ...
The United Arab Emirates has told the U.S. and other Western allies that it is willing to participate in a multinational maritime taskforce aimed a...
Comments by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee suggesting that Israel had a biblical right to much of the Middle East drew condemnation over the weekend from countries across the region, which described the remarks as “dangerous and inflammatory”.
Indonesia and the United States have finalised a trade agreement lowering U.S. tariffs on Indonesian goods to 19% from 32%, with exemptions secured for palm oil and several other major exports.
A proposed multinational peacekeeping force for Gaza could involve around 20,000 personnel, with Indonesia estimating it may contribute up to 8,000, a spokesman for Prabowo Subianto said on Tuesday.
The European Union has proposed extending its sanctions against Russia to include ports in Georgia and Indonesia that handle Russian oil, the first time the bloc would target ports in third countries, a proposal document showed on Monday.
Israel said it had killed Alireza Tangsiri, the Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy, on Thursday, as confict in the Middle East continued.
Iran has rejected a U.S. proposal to end the war, insisting any ceasefire will occur only on its own terms and timeline, according to a senior political-security official speaking to state-run Press TV on Wednesday.
Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), said on Wednesday that the U.S. had “clearly made a mistake” in launching strikes on Iran, arguing Washington misjudged the resilience of the Iranian regime.
Russia’s Baltic ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga, major export terminals, suspended loadings of crude oil and refined products on Wednesday after large-scale Ukrainian drone attacks triggered a blaze, sources told Reuters.
Northern European countries must significantly boost military drone production to help Ukraine defeat Russia, Latvia’s Prime Minister has said, warning that victory would be “impossible” without greater support.
Two months after Indian negotiators worked in January to secure relief from punitive U.S. tariffs on the country’s exports and New Delhi moved to cut back its purchases of Russian crude oil, India and Russia are stepping up their energy ties once again, according to Reuters.
U.S. paper currency will bear President Donald Trump's signature starting this summer, the first time a sitting president has signed American money, the Treasury Department said on Thursday. The change comes as the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary.
Mexico's navy said it had activated a search-and-rescue operation in the Caribbean to locate two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba after the vessels failed to arrive in Havana.
A powerful tropical cyclone in Western Australia has disrupted production at the country’s two biggest liquefied natural gas plants run by Chevron and Woodside, exacerbating a global supply crunch caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
France has rejected claims that South Africa was dropped from the guest list for this year’s G7 summit under pressure from United States, insisting the decision to invite Kenya was its own.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment