Indonesia to Enforce Child Social Media Restrictions Starting 2026
Indonesia’s 2026 PP Tunas law sets age limits for social media and bans child data collection, impacting how brands engage youth.
Indonesia is preparing to implement sweeping child-safety rules that will limit minors' access to social media and digital platforms beginning March 1, 2026. The Child Protection in Digital Space Regulation (PP Tunas) will require social media, online gaming, and e-commerce platforms to enforce age verification, curb data collection, and adapt product design to protect minors online.
The policy arrives as governments worldwide take harder positions on digital safety. Indonesia is adopting a risk-based model, where children aged 13 to 16 will face different levels of access depending on a platform’s assessed risk profile. High-risk platforms will face tighter controls, while lower-risk platforms may allow limited engagement under supervised conditions.
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs confirmed that sanctions will range from warnings and fines to eventual access termination for platforms that fail to comply. This shifts child-safety responsibility from voluntary guidelines to enforceable obligations.
Leighton Cosseboom
Why This Matters for CMOs and Platforms in Asia
While the ruling centers on minors, its implications for marketers are significant. Platforms will need to rework ad targeting, data capture, and personalization models for youth audiences. Brands should anticipate:
- Greater controls on the profiling and tracking of underage users
- Stricter creative guidelines for ads directed at minors
- Mandatory moderation frameworks for content involving children
- Higher scrutiny of UX systems that incentivize engagement
New global data reinforces the urgency. According to UNICEF and OECD studies, 1 in 3 internet users in Southeast Asia is a minor, and youth screen time has increased more than 60% since 2020. Governments are responding by prioritizing mental health, exposure to harmful content, and data misuse.
Indonesia is taking cues from Australia’s 2024 Online Safety Act amendments, which enforced minimum ages for platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Unlike Australia’s blanket bans, Indonesia is opting for gradual enforcement to accommodate digital literacy, parental readiness, and ecosystem maturity.
Public feedback sessions are complete, and pilot programs are underway in select regions before full rollout.
Leighton Cosseboom
The Road Ahead
The government aims for PP Tunas to create a healthier digital environment for Indonesia’s 80 million young internet users. Implementation guidelines will soon outline responsibilities for platforms, parents, schools, and advertisers. The goal is to balance digital freedom with safety, rather than shutting access abruptly.
For marketers, this is not only compliance but a shift in customer relationships. Youth marketing will require transparency, safety-first design, and campaigns that build trust, not extraction. Brands that adapt early are likely to gain long-term loyalty from families, regulators, and educators.
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