A drastic regulation that came into effect this Saturday has officially left about 70 million children and adolescents in Indonesia without access to major digital platforms. The Jakarta government began the process of deactivating the accounts of minors under 16 in applications considered "high-risk," a list that included giants like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and the video game Roblox. With this measure, the archipelago joined the international trend of legislating to protect young people from the harmful effects associated with prolonged exposure and addictive content online.
In its justification, the Indonesian administration warned tech companies that it would not grant concessions or extensions in the application of the law. The responsibility for restricting access fell directly on the platforms themselves, which are now subject to multi-million dollar fines and even a total suspension of their services in the country if they fail to comply with the blocking. The Indonesian government began deactivating minor accounts on social media and video games.
However, the official position remained firm that the measure was necessary to curb the proliferation of addictive behaviors. Indonesia thus set a precedent in the region, establishing that control of the digital environment for those under 16 is no longer a usage suggestion but an inescapable legal obligation for internet service providers.
Although the Executive branch did not initially detail the technical mechanism for verifying users' ages, it was firm in stating that the absolute priority is to safeguard the mental health of minors amid the alarm over increased screen time. The regulation, as reported by the Argentine News Agency, also affects other high-traffic networks like Threads, X (formerly Twitter), and Bigo Live, impacting one of the largest user populations in the world.
The government justified its decision by citing the growing global concern about young people's exposure to harmful content, following in the footsteps of nations like Australia that had already tightened their restrictions. "The Asian archipelago thus joins the list of countries that have chosen to legislate to protect young people," the official report on the scope of the measure stated for a total population of 284 million inhabitants.
Finally, the start of mass deactivations has sparked a heated debate about the actual ability of companies to filter out minors without violating the privacy of adults.
