Indonesia Minister: New Rules Aid Parents in Protecting Children Online

Indonesia's Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, has emphasized that the new Government Regulation (PP) Number 17 of 2025, concerning the Governance of Electronic System Implementation in Child Protection (PP TUNAS), is designed to bolster parental oversight of children in the digital realm, not to usurp their authority.

The regulation specifically bars children under 16 from creating accounts on high-risk social media platforms. This measure is part of a broader effort to shield young users from various online dangers. "This regulation helps parents, not replaces parents," Meutya stated at an event in South Jakarta on Sunday. She explained that PP TUNAS mandates digital platform providers to integrate "safety by design" principles, ensuring their services are inherently safe for children from the initial development stages.

Meutya highlighted that the digital space should be a secure environment for children to learn, express themselves, create, and develop their potential. However, she acknowledged the accompanying risks, including gadget addiction, exposure to age-inappropriate content, and negative impacts on children's physical and mental health. She advised parents against hastening to grant access to high-risk social media, urging them to help their children delay creating accounts until they are adequately prepared.

The minister also called for increased parental involvement in supervising children's digital technology use. While the government is pushing platforms to strengthen user age verification systems, Meutya stressed that effective child protection ultimately relies on family engagement. "Regulations cannot work alone," she concluded, underscoring the collaborative effort needed between government, platforms, and families.