January 15, 2025 – Indonesia is gearing up to introduce a regulation that aims to safeguard children from potential harms in cyberspace by setting a minimum age limit for social media users, as revealed by the Minister of Communication and Informatics, Rudiantara. This move follows Australia’s ban on social media use for under-16s and the imposition of fines on tech giants that fail to prevent children from accessing their platforms.

Rudiantara did not disclose the specific minimum age that Indonesia plans to set. He made the announcement on Monday evening after discussing the plan with President Prabowo Subianto. In a video uploaded to the President’s official YouTube channel, he stated, “We discussed how to protect children in the digital space. The President supports the advancement of this plan and highly agrees on implementing such child protection measures in the digital realm.”
According to a survey conducted by the Association of Indonesian Internet Service Providers, which polled 8,700 individuals, Indonesia’s internet penetration rate reached 79.5% last year. The survey revealed that 48% of children under 12 have access to the internet, with some in this age group using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Additionally, the survey highlighted that the internet penetration rate among ‘Generation Z’ users, those aged 12 to 27, is as high as 87%.