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Indonesia to Ban YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X for Children Under 16 from March 28

Canopy Policy

Indonesia's Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid signed a government regulation on March 6, 2026 that will ban children under 16 from holding accounts on high-risk digital platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox, with enforcement beginning gradually from March 28. The regulation makes Indonesia the first country in Southeast Asia to restrict minors' access to social media, following Australia's similar restrictions introduced in December 2025. Platform operators face compliance obligations, and Meta's Jakarta office had already received a formal government warning for low regulatory compliance earlier in the week.

Key Takeaways

  • Indonesia's social media ban for under-16s covers YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox — signed March 6, 2026, enforcement starts March 28 (phased rollout by platform compliance)
  • Indonesia is the first Southeast Asian country to implement a blanket age-based social media ban; follows Australia (Dec 2025) and joins Spain, France, and the UK in restricting child access
  • Meta's Jakarta office received a formal government warning earlier this week for "low level of compliance with national regulations" including content handling on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp

Original source: Associated Press