Government Bans Social Media for Children Under 16, UMPO Academics Call for Review

UMPO.AC.ID – The Indonesian government will implement a ban on children under the age of 16 from owning social media accounts and high-risk digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram starting March 28, 2026. The policy is stipulated in Ministerial Regulation of Komdigi No. 9 of 2026 as part of efforts to protect children from negative content, cyberbullying, and social media addiction.

However, several academics have urged the government to review the policy. They argue that some digital platforms are also widely used as learning tools.

The Head of the Informatics Engineering Study Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo (UMPO), Adi Fajaryanto Cobantoro, S.Kom., M.Kom., stated that in principle the university supports the policy issued by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. According to him, the regulation aims to protect children from various risks in the digital world, including negative content, cyberbullying, and social media addiction.

“In principle, we support the regulation because its goal is to protect children from negative content, cyberbullying, and social media addiction,” he said.

Nevertheless, he believes the policy could potentially conflict with policies from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia, which encourage learning processes that utilize social media and digital platforms.

In addition, in practice many parents create social media accounts for their children to store memories and documentation, such as photos and records of children’s activities.

Therefore, he hopes the government will review the regulation so that it continues to provide protection for children while not hindering the use of digital technology for educational purposes.

Ajeng Laksmita/Humas UMPO