The Indonesian government has initiated a major campaign of regulations aimed at removing children under the age of 16 from social media platforms, representing one of the most intense government actions in the worldwide digital environment. Under Ministerial Regulation No. 9 of 2026, which came into force on March 28, tech companies are now required by law to disable the social media accounts of minors. Failure to comply may result in administrative consequences, including the complete loss of access to services within the archipelago.

This change in legislation, led by Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid, is presented as a mission to save the country's young people. By implementing the "PP Tunas" framework known as Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025, the state aims to ensure parents are no longer "fighting alone against algorithmic giants." The move reflects a growing "digital emergency" in a country where roughly 80% of children are connected to the internet, yet 1.45mn cases of online child exploitation have been recorded, BBC Indonesia reports.

The scale of this intervention is unprecedented given Indonesia's hyper-connected population. Data from WeAreSocial indicates that social media user identities in Indonesia grew 26% year-on-year to 180mn, or 62.9% of the population. With users spending an average of 21 hours and 50 minutes per week across 7.7 platforms, the removal of 70mn children under 16 represents a seismic shift in the regional digital economy and poses a direct challenge to the business models of Silicon Valley and ByteDance.

Jakarta summons big tech

The tension between state mandate and corporate interests reached a breaking point this week. According to Reuters, the Indonesian government summoned officials from Meta and Google on March 30 after the companies failed to comply with the new deactivation requirements. Minister Hafid identified both as "entities non-compliant with the law," noting that the tech giants had opposed the curbs from the outset.

The ministry’s "high-risk" classification targets platforms with addictive qualities or those that allow interaction with strangers, specifically naming YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. While the companies have pointed to their existing internal safeguards, Jakarta maintains these are insufficient under the new law. If the tech companies do not comply with the ministry's requirements, they may be subjected to significant penalties or possibly be banned from operating in the country permanently.

Under the new tiered system, digital services classified as "high-risk" are completely restricted from users who are under 16 years of age. For "low-risk" services, parents must give clear permission if the user is 13 years old or younger. To keep running in the archipelago, platforms are required to use tools that can confirm a user's age and to carry out routine checks on their own compliance. These internal reviews are intended to encourage a change in the company's focus, ensuring that child safety takes precedence over the user retention goals that typically guide platform expansion.

International acclaim has been given to Indonesia's approach for its involvement in a worldwide movement to shield younger users. Nations including Australia and France working together are showcasing a larger international initiative to tackle the challenge of young individuals accessing unrestricted online material. The reaction within the country is mixed though, with local advocacy groups opposing the measures.

Amnesty International Indonesia has become a prominent voice against the total ban. The Executive Director, Usman Hamid, viewed the strategy as an "overly simplistic solution" that may lower the digital presence of millions. He noted that Indonesian students have increasingly used these platforms to talk about government policies, including the Free Nutritious Meals Programme, and warned that a ban could remove an essential resource for their involvement in civic matters and access to information.

According to BBC Indonesia, these concerns are also shared within the academic and human rights communities. Nurul Izmi from the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) stated that any restriction on fundamental rights should be essential and appropriate. Social psychologists from the University of Indonesia pointed out that while the regulation acts as a legal basis, it is not fully effective without a strong focus on digital literacy, which they see as the key to long-term online safety. As the March 28 deadline moved into active enforcement, the Indonesian digital environment is entering a significant phase of change.

The government remains firm that the objective is to "humanise technology" rather than sever internet access entirely. By forcing platforms to respect local law and age boundaries, Jakarta is attempting to reset the power dynamic between the state and global digital providers.

The outcome of the summons for Google (GOOGL) and Meta (META) will likely set the precedent for how international tech firms navigate the "PP Tunas" era. With the ministry vowing to monitor and trace the implementation in the field, Indonesian social media is being replaced by a highly regulated environment. Whether this leads to a safer digital generation or a marginalised youth population remains the central debate as the nation moves forward with its digital sovereignty agenda.