Government expands online safety push beyond social media
Indonesia is considering restricting children under the age of 16 from accessing e-commerce platforms, Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, as the government broadens its efforts to strengthen online child protection measures.
The proposal comes shortly after Jakarta began enforcing a nationwide social media ban for users under 16 earlier this year.
“E-commerce platforms are next, because we found children who became scam victims through e-commerce,” Meutya said during an interview with AFP in Jakarta.
She did not provide further details regarding the scope, implementation mechanism, or timeline of the proposed restrictions.
Social media restrictions already underway
Indonesia officially began implementing its under-16 social media restrictions in March, aiming to protect roughly 70 million children from risks such as online pornography, cyberbullying, online exploitation, and internet addiction.
The policy followed a landmark move by Australia, which passed legislation in December to limit teenagers’ access to major social media platforms.
Indonesia’s regulation initially targeted eight platforms categorized by authorities as “high risk,” including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.
According to Meutya, the regulations are expected to gradually extend to all digital platforms operating in the country, including online shopping services.
Platforms required to enforce restrictions
Indonesia, home to more than 284 million people, has one of the world’s largest and most active digital and social media user bases.
Meutya said the government’s approach is intended to help parents navigate the growing influence of large technology platforms on children’s online behavior.
“Letting them face off against the platforms alone, without rules, is like letting parents play chess against a grandmaster. They won’t win, or it will be very hard to win,” Meutya said.
Under the proposed framework, responsibility for enforcing age restrictions would largely fall on platform operators, similar to the regulatory model adopted in Australia.
Authorities said companies that fail to comply could face penalties ranging from fines to temporary suspension of services in Indonesia.
Global momentum for child online protection
The Indonesian government said last week that Roblox had begun complying with the new regulations by introducing age-verification technology and limiting content access based on users’ ages.
Officials noted that more than half of Roblox’s estimated 45 million users in Indonesia are children under 16.
Indonesia joins a growing number of countries tightening oversight of children’s digital access amid rising concerns over mental health, online safety, scams, and excessive internet use.
Last month, the parliament of Turkey approved legislation aimed at preventing children under 15 from accessing social media platforms.
Several European countries, including Norway, Greece, France, Spain, and Denmark, have also announced plans to introduce similar restrictions for minors.