In 2024, Australia became the first country in the world to implement a law prohibiting the use of social media by individuals under 16 years old. Now, Indonesia is also considering introducing age restrictions for social media access.
According to the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday, Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid announced on Monday that the Indonesian government is working on regulations to set a minimum age for social media access. While the minister did not specify the exact age threshold, she mentioned discussing the matter with President Prabowo Subianto, noting that “the president is highly concerned about issues affecting children and believes strong measures are needed to protect them in digital spaces.”
Globally, efforts to restrict social media use among teenagers have been gaining momentum due to concerns over exposure to harmful content and the rising phenomenon of social media addiction. Countries such as France, Germany, and Belgium are tightening regulations on social media use by minors, while the United States has introduced various state-level laws to limit minors’ access to social platforms.
Last December, the Australian Parliament passed a law prohibiting individuals under the age of 16 from creating accounts on social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Reddit, and X. Social media companies are now required to implement sufficient measures to prevent minors from creating accounts. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to 49.5 million AUD (approximately $30.8 million).