Indonesia on Saturday introduced a social media ban for children under 16, following Australia’s lead in efforts to protect young people from online harms. The move comes as US tech giants face growing scrutiny over youth safety and follows a US court order this week finding Meta and YouTube liable for designing addictive products that harmed young people.
The government announced the measure earlier this month, saying it aims to shield children from pornography, scams, cyberbullying and internet addiction. In a first for Southeast Asia, platforms deemed high risk — including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox — will block under-16s from creating accounts.
The rule affects around 70 million children, about 25% of Indonesia’s 280 million population. Enforcement and account deactivation are expected to be gradual. Communications Minister Meutya Hafid said X and Bigo Live have fully complied and urged other platforms to “immediately align their products, features and services” with the new minimum-age requirement, stressing there is “no room for compromise regarding compliance.” The government plans fines for non-compliance and has not ruled out a nationwide ban. Several platforms said they would adhere to the new measure.
Supporters welcomed the ban. Diena Haryana, founder of a Jakarta online-safety non-profit, told the Associated Press that studies suggest social media can harm children’s mental health. “[Children] need to learn to use this digital technology at the right time, at the right age, and with the right guidance,” she said, urging parents and schools to encourage real-world engagement. Critics, however, warned implementation will be difficult and that children could bypass restrictions using tools like VPNs.
Australia became the first country in December to restrict social media access for under-16s; platforms subsequently revoked about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children. Other countries — including Germany, Spain, France and Malaysia — are taking or considering similar measures. The UK’s upper house recently voted in favor of banning children from social media to pressure the government to act. Some nations are using alternatives such as age verification, parental consent, or partial curbs rather than outright bans.
In the US this week, a jury found Meta and YouTube liable for deliberately designing addictive products that caused harm to young people, ordering the companies to pay a combined $6 million (€5.2 billion) in damages to a now 20-year-old woman who said algorithms worsened her depression and suicidal ideation. The verdict is viewed as a bellwether for hundreds of similar lawsuits.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko