Indonesia plans to ban social media for children

January 14, MINSK . Indonesia plans to issue a regulation setting a minimum age for social media users. This was reported byREUTERS .

This move is aimed at protecting children, said Indonesian Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafidh. The minister, however, did not specify the minimum age for social media users in Indonesia. The remarks came after Meutya discussed the plan with President Prabowo Subianto.

"We discussed how to protect children in the digital space. The president said to continue with this plan. He is very supportive of how such protection of children in our digital space will be carried out," she said in a video posted on the presidential office's YouTube channel.

According to a survey conducted by the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association among 8,700 people, the internet penetration rate in Indonesia, a country with a population of about 280 million, reached 79.5% last year. The survey also found that 48% of children under 12 have access to the internet, and some respondents in this age group useFACEBOOK , Instagram andTIKTOK . Among Gen Z users, or people aged 12 to 27, internet penetration is 87%.

Plans to set a minimum age for social media users follow Australia's decision to ban children under 16 from social media, as well as the introduction of fines for tech giants if they fail to prevent children from accessing their platforms. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted that age restrictions on social media may not be perfectly implemented, as are existing restrictions onALCOHOL , but it's "the right decision."

Singapore is also considering legislating age restrictions on social media to protect young users, The Jakartapost notes.