Indonesia eyes minimum age requirement for social media users
Proposed regulation follows Australia’s lead in safeguarding children online.
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Indonesia is preparing new rules to set a minimum age for social media use in a bid to protect children from potential risks online, according to Communications Minister Meutya Hafid, according to a Reuters report.
The minister announced the plan on Monday after a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto, though Hafid did not specify what the age threshold would be.
The move follows Australia's recent legislation that bans children under 16 from social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, both owned by Meta, as well as TikTok.
Under the Australian rule, tech giants can face fines if they fail to prevent children from using their platforms.
Minister Hafid emphasized the importance of safeguarding young users in Indonesia, a nation of around 280 million people. A survey conducted by the Indonesia internet service providers' association showed that internet penetration in the country reached 79.5% last year, based on data from 8,700 respondents, the report added.
Notably, the same survey revealed that 48% of children under 12 had access to the internet, and some of these children were already using popular platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Additionally, the survey highlighted that 87% of “Gen Z” users—those aged 12 to 27—have access to the internet, a figure that underscores the rapid and widespread adoption of online services across Indonesia.
