Indonesia Expat
Featured News

Indonesian Government Prepares Social Media Age Limit Regulation to Protect Children

Indonesian Government Prepares Social Media Age Limit Regulation to Protect Children
Indonesian Government Prepares Social Media Age Limit Regulation to Protect Children

Indonesia plans to implement child protection measures for social media companies as the government works on drafting legislation to establish a minimum age requirement for platform users.

This initiative aims to enhance child protection in the digital space, following similar policies implemented in other countries, such as Australia, which has set the minimum age at 16.

“In principle, this is it; while bridging more stable regulations, the government will issue a government regulation first [regarding the age limit for accessing social media],” said the Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, on Monday, the 13th of January.

This regulation will serve as a temporary measure until it is formalised in the form of a law. Hafid explained that the development of the law will take time, as it is still under review by the Indonesian House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR).

“While bridging, once again, we issue regulations while talking to the DPR about what the regulations are [and] what kind of laws we can issue to protect our children,” continued Hafid.

Meanwhile, President Prabowo Subianto has expressed his support for this initiative. According to Hafid, the President has emphasised the importance of protecting children in the digital space.

“Earlier [Subianto] said [us to] continue [and] study [the proposed regulation] and so that it can be implemented. He really supports how this child protection can be carried out in the future in our digital realm,” added Hafid.

This governmental initiative has been well-received by various stakeholders. The initiator of the Indonesian Healthy Gadget Movement (Gerakan Gadget Sehat Indonesia or GGSI), Professor Ridha Dharmajaya, has recognised the importance of this policy to safeguard children from the negative impacts of social media. According to Dharmajaya, early exposure to social media can adversely affect children’s focus and development, both socially and academically.

“Children even as young as 3 years old are given cell phones by their mothers so that they are quiet. That’s actually sad because children are exposed to social media at a very young age. This results in them not socialising and growing properly,” remarked Dharmajaya to the press on Wednesday, the 15th of January.

In addition, Dharmajaya emphasised that this policy is an important first step in promoting the wise use of smartphones.

“We are not against social media, but we have to direct it in the right direction. Many countries have rules where a child is allowed to use a smartphone,” added Dharmajaya.

Related posts

West Nusa Tenggara and Surabaya Airports Open for International Arrivals

Indonesia Expat

Seven Paintings Ubud: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Culinary Journey at Kaamala Resort

Indonesia Expat

Traditional Balinese Wedding

Indonesia Expat

31 Inmates Escape from Jayapura Prison

Indonesia Expat

International Student Experiences – From Indonesia to The Netherlands

Indonesia Expat

Aesthetic Pondok Indah: A Unique Dental Clinic with a Smile Makeover

Indonesia Expat