Indonesia is banning social media use for children under the age of 16, following a similar move by Australia. However, unlike other countries, Indonesia is also banning the online game Roblox for underage users due to child safety issues.
Meutya Hafid, Indonesia’s communication and digital affairs minister, announced that a government regulation will require “high-risk” platforms to remove accounts belonging to users under 16, effective March 28.
Hafid said enforcement will begin in stages, starting with major platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Roblox, and Singapore-based live-streaming platform Bigo Live.
The minister stated that all platforms must meet compliance requirements set by the Indonesian government. However, she did not provide details about those obligations.
In response, a Meta spokesperson told The New York Times that the company has not yet received an official regulation from Indonesia and is awaiting further clarification.
Australia was the first country to implement a broad ban on social media for users under 16. Other nations are considering similar measures. Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, recently announced that Spain is prepared to introduce comparable restrictions.
Malaysia’s cabinet has also approved a similar ban, which is expected to take effect later this year. Indonesia’s regulation adds to the growing list of countries reassessing youth access to social media platforms.