Indonesia Reviews Plan to Limit Children's Social Media Use

TheIndonesia.co - Nezar Patria, Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, has announced that the Ministry is still evaluating a proposal to restrict children's access to social media. He acknowledged the dual impacts—both positive and negative—of social media use, including rising concerns over artificial intelligence's harmful effects.

According to Antara News Agency, Patria revealed that the ministry is gathering input from various stakeholders, and the age restriction plan is still under consideration. He urged parents to take a more active role in supervising their children's social media activities to ensure they are not exposed to harmful content that could negatively impact their education and well-being.

The Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of collaboration between his ministry and other relevant government bodies, such as the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, to assess the proposal.

President Prabowo Subianto has shown strong support for the initiative, underscoring his concern for creating a safer digital environment for children, particularly to safeguard their educational experiences. "President Prabowo has expressed his full backing for this initiative, demonstrating his commitment to the well-being of children in the digital space," Patria stated.

Additionally, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, confirmed that the DPR will review the government’s plan to limit children's social media use. He noted that while the proposal has been discussed, it will require further evaluation to assess its potential positive and negative impacts. Several countries have already implemented similar age-based restrictions on social media use.