Indonesia is joining Australia in imposing restrictions on social media for individuals younger than 16. The country's communication and digital affairs minister, Meutya Hafid, revealed plans for a forthcoming regulation that mandates platforms deemed high-risk to remove accounts belonging to Indonesians under 16, effective March 28.
Hafid explained that the rollout will occur gradually, beginning with prominent services such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Roblox, and Singapore-headquartered live-streaming app Bigo Live. She noted that every platform operating in Indonesia must adhere to the government's requirements, though specifics on those duties were not provided. A representative from Meta informed The New York Times that the firm has yet to obtain the formal rule from Indonesian authorities and is anticipating further information.
Australia pioneered this type of comprehensive prohibition on social media for young users, and several nations are now pursuing comparable measures. Last month, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez indicated his government's intent to prohibit access for those under 16. Meanwhile, Malaysia's cabinet has endorsed an analogous restriction, expected to take hold at some point during the year.