Indonesia is planning to set a minimum age for access to social media, according to the country’s communications minister.
The measure, which is aimed at “protecting” children, was announced by Comms and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid on the YouTube channel of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s office. The video was uploaded on Monday.
The minimum age for underage users to access social media has yet to be determined, however. According to the minister, she discussed with the president how to “protect children in the digital age”. The president has shown support for the planned legislation, she adds.
According to Reuters, a survey indicates that 48 per cent of children under the age of 12 have access to the internet in Indonesia. Popular platforms used by children include Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
The development comes about one and a half months after Australia banned social media for children. In November, it became the first country with some of the toughest laws targeting Big Tech platforms.
While a prohibition date has yet to be finalised, platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat — could be fined up to $33 million over failure to prevent users under 16 from accessing social media. The move has raised concerns about potential marginalisation of young Australians in digital spaces.
