JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Indonesian government announced on Friday that it will block social media access for children under 16, citing risks from online pornography, cyberbullying, fraud, and internet addiction.
“Accounts belonging to children under 16 on high-risk platforms will start to be deactivated, beginning with YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox,” said Communications Minister Meutya Hafid. She added that the move will help parents manage online safety and that implementation will begin on March 28, 2026.
The ban will roll out in stages until all platforms comply with the regulation.
The policy mirrors similar actions abroad: Australia recently required TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and other sites to remove accounts held by under-16s, and the European Union, along with countries such as France, Denmark, Greece, and Spain, is exploring comparable measures. India is also considering a teen social media restriction.
Minister Hafid acknowledged the potential inconvenience for users but emphasized the government’s priority: “We are taking this step to reclaim the sovereignty of our children’s future. We want technology to humanize humans, not sacrifice our children’s childhood.”
YouTube said it is reviewing the regulation to balance parental empowerment with continued access to educational content for millions of Indonesian users.
