Indonesia to ban social media for children under 16

"On Friday, Indonesia's minister of communication and digital affairs, Meutya Hafid, said in a speech shared online that the ban will begin on March 28. The rationale, according to a translation by the New York Times, is due to perceived threats of pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and social media addiction."

"On March 28, children's accounts on "high-risk" platforms - including X, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Roblox, and livestreaming app Bigo Live - will begin to be deactivated."

"This is also happening after Australia banned social media for children under 16 last year. Elsewhere, such as in the U.S. and UK, age-verification laws have been enacted in an attempt to restrict minors' access to content "harmful to minors," namely pornography."

Indonesia's minister of communication and digital affairs announced a social media ban for anyone under 16, effective March 28, following Australia's similar restriction. The ban targets high-risk platforms including X, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Roblox, and Bigo Live, with accounts set for deactivation. The government justified the measure citing perceived threats of pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and social media addiction. This policy reflects a broader global trend of age-restriction measures, with Australia implementing comparable restrictions and the U.S. and UK enacting age-verification laws to limit minors' access to harmful content. A landmark trial concerning social media addiction is simultaneously progressing in the United States.

Read at Mashable