Indonesia Restricts 5 Million Child Accounts on Digital Platforms, Surpassing Australia

The Indonesian government has made significant strides in protecting minors in the digital space, with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Komdigi) announcing the removal of approximately five million child accounts from various digital platforms. This achievement is attributed to the implementation of the Government Regulation on the Governance of Electronic Systems in Child Protection (PP Tunas). Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Meutya Hafid, noted that this figure surpasses the number of child account removals by TikTok in Australia. Indonesia's approach differs from other countries like Australia, which opts for a total ban based on specific age limits. Instead, Indonesia employs a strategy of restriction based on platform risk assessment. Under PP Tunas, strict limitations for users under 16 years old are focused on platforms deemed high-risk. The risk evaluation considers crucial aspects such as content nature, user interaction, and personal data collection. This regulation has prompted major technology companies to adapt. For instance, Roblox has automatically disabled its chat feature for Indonesian users under 16, which can only be re-enabled with explicit parental consent. Minister Meutya expressed hope that the regulation will evolve beyond merely prohibiting children from creating accounts, becoming a comprehensive movement that encourages digital platforms to change and strengthen their security systems. Despite positive trends, the implementation of PP Tunas still faces technical challenges, particularly in user age verification mechanisms. Many platforms have yet to demonstrate the use of optimal age verification technologies, although Komdigi encourages platforms to leverage existing technological innovations that are feasible with investment. To date, Komdigi has received self-assessment documents from 200 platforms and 79 Electronic System Providers (PSE). Among these, eight platforms have openly declared their services to fall into the high-risk category. Komdigi aims to foster a culture of transparency within the digital industry, akin to film rating systems. The ministry desires a system where platforms themselves consciously and transparently acknowledge their risk levels, rather than the government always having to identify and accuse high-risk entities. Source: Liputan6