Indonesia bans social media use by children under 16

On March 6, 2026, Indonesia's Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs Meutia Hafid announced that the country would ban the use of social media by children under the age of 16. The ban is scheduled to come into effect on March 28.

Indonesia to ban social media for children under 16 | Mashable
https://mashable.com/article/indonesia-to-ban-social-media-for-children-under-16

Minister Hafid cited the threats of pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud and social media addiction as reasons for the ban.

The world's first law banning children under the age of 16 from using social media was enacted in Australia in December 2025. Since the enactment of this law in Australia, similar laws have been considered in the UK and Finland .

Australia launches world's first 'social media ban for those under 16' law, targeting TikTok, X, Instagram, YouTube, etc. - GIGAZINE

Indonesia's social media ban will come into effect on March 28th, and the following platforms will begin disabling accounts for children, but the specific methods have not been disclosed.

・X
・YouTube
・Facebook
・Instagram
・Threads
・Roblox
・Live streaming apps (such as Bigo Live)

Below is the speech by Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs Hafid announcing Indonesia's 'ban on social media use by people under the age of 16.'

Anak Di bawah 16 Tahun Tak Lagi Bisa Punya Akun d Platform Digital Berisiko Tinggi | LIputan 6 - YouTube


Indonesia was also the first country in the world to block access to Grok in January 2026.

Indonesia becomes first country to block access to Grok due to the spread of non-consensual sexual images - GIGAZINE