Indonesia’s plan to restrict children from accessing social media to protect them from the perils of the internet has raised concerns over how it will be implemented and the government’s potential encroachment on privacy.
Jakarta will be following in the footsteps of neighbouring Australia, which in November approved a law banning the use of social media by children under 16 and requiring social media companies to verify ages.
This week, Indonesian government officials announced plans to issue similar child protection guidelines for social media platforms, including setting a minimum age, as a step towards developing a permanent law.
“Actually, we want to study this carefully first, but in principle, while [waiting] for a more permanent [law], the government will issue a regulation first,” Communications Minister Meutya Hafid told reporters on Thursday after meeting President Prabowo Subianto.
The plan had already gained Prabowo’s approval, she said.