June 26 (THEWILL) — Indonesia has begun enforcing its online child protection law by deactivating about 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to children under the age of 16, marking one of the world’s largest crackdowns on underage social media use.
The country’s Communications and Digital Minister, Meutya Hafid, said the accounts were removed as part of the implementation of new online safety regulations introduced in March.
According to the minister, TikTok accounted for the majority of the deactivations, removing approximately 4.1 million accounts, while YouTube shut down another 600,000.
Hafid said the government expects other social media platforms to take similar steps in complying with the new rules, which require platforms classified as high-risk to deactivate accounts belonging to users younger than 16 years.
“We’re not just delaying a child’s access, but we want behaviours from platforms to change, too,” the minister said, noting that the policy is intended to encourage technology companies to take greater responsibility for children’s safety online.
The new regulation applies, to major social media and digital platforms, including X, Meta-owned Instagram, TikTok, and the online gaming platform Roblox.
Indonesian authorities say the measure is aimed at protecting children from cyberbullying, online addiction, exposure to harmful content, and other digital risks associated with excessive internet use.
Officials said the Communications Ministry is reviewing compliance reports submitted by the affected companies to determine whether they have fully implemented the government’s directive.
Indonesia, home to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing digital populations, has increasingly expressed concern over the impact of social media on children’s mental health, education, and overall well-being.
The government believes stronger regulation is necessary to create a safer online environment for young users.
The latest enforcement action places Indonesia among a growing number of countries tightening rules on children’s access to social media and other digital platforms.
Australia last year introduced a landmark social media ban for younger users over concerns about the effects of excessive social media use on children’s mental health.
Earlier this month, the United Kingdom also announced plans to broaden its online safety framework to include gaming and live-streaming platforms, reflecting growing international efforts to strengthen child protection across the digital ecosystem.
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