JAKARTA - Starting from Australia, since December has banned children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch, X (Twitter), and YouTube. The rules also set fines of up to AU$50 million (about Rp554 billion) for technology companies that violate them.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese encourages children to spend their free time socializing in person, exercising, learning a musical instrument, or reading a book. He assessed that excessive exposure to mobile phones can have a negative impact on children's mental health.
This Australis step was followed by the Indonesian Government to limit the use of social media for children aged 13 to 16 years, depending on the level of risk of each platform. Minister of Communication and Information Technology (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid targeted this policy to be implemented in March 2026.
"Next year in March, we can start protecting our children by delaying account access for children aged 13 and 16 years, depending on the risk of each platform," Meutya said on the Kemkomdigi YouTube channel. Tuesday, February 17.
Now, this step of limiting it is followed by England. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the British government's plan, which will soon take steps related to young people's access to social media in months, not years. However, he emphasized that the policy does not automatically mean a total ban for children under the age of 16.
Quoted from The Guardian, the British government is committed to taking action against artificial intelligence (AI) based chatbots that are considered harmful to children. Starmer said the issue of restricting social media is a complex issue that still requires in-depth study.
"I think this is such an important issue that we need to consider banning it as one of the possibilities," Starmer said, quoted by The Guardian, Tuesday (17/2/2026).
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