JAKARTA - The commemoration of Adolescent Mental Health Day, which is celebrated every 2 March, is an important momentum to ensure that child and adolescent protection policies in the digital space not only focus on restricting access, but also consider their impact on the mental health of the younger generation.
The Indonesian government will soon implement Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 concerning the Governance of the Implementation of Electronic Systems in Child Protection (PP TUNAS).
This regulation aims to strengthen child protection from exposure to harmful content, exploitation, and misuse of personal data in the digital space. This step is considered as an advance in building a more child-friendly electronic system governance.
However, the experience of a number of countries shows that an overly restrictive approach to social media access can have undesirable psychological consequences.
In Australia, for example, the debate on banning social media for children under the age of 16 has sparked extensive discussions among academics and mental health practitioners.
Professor of Psychology from the University of New South Wales, Jillian Griffiths, stated that a total ban without accompanying strategies has the potential to worsen social isolation in adolescents.
"For some children, social media is a space to seek peer support, especially when they don't get it in the offline environment. Policies that cut off access suddenly risk increasing anxiety and a sense of alienation," Jillian said in her statement on Tuesday, March 3.
A number of studies in Australia also show that restrictions without being balanced by digital literacy and psychosocial support can encourage teenagers to look for loopholes through anonymous accounts or alternative platforms that are more difficult to monitor. This condition has the potential to increase exposure to extreme content.
In Indonesia, child and adolescent psychology expert from the University of Indonesia, Rose Mini Agoes Salim, emphasized the importance of placing mental health as the main consideration in the implementation of PP TUNAS.
"Children and adolescents are in the identity development phase. Digital space is often a medium for self-exploration and social connection. Regulation needs to protect, but also should not eliminate this growing space," Rose argued.
Global data shows that one in seven adolescents experience mental health disorders, with anxiety and depression as the dominant issues. In this context, the digital space can be a risk factor if not managed properly, but it can also be a supporting space for growth if used for education, networking, and development of digital skills.
Meanwhile, the Civil Coalition for Digital Literacy assessed that the implementation of the PP TUNAS needs to prioritize a risk-based approach, strengthen digital literacy and emotional literacy in schools, and encourage collaboration between the government, digital platforms, educators, parents, and mental health communities.
The momentum of Adolescent Mental Health Day is a reminder that child and adolescent protection is not just about limiting access, but ensuring that they grow in a safe digital ecosystem, are mentally healthy, and still have positive interaction spaces.
PP TUNAS has the potential to become a comprehensive child protection policy model, as long as its implementation is responsive to the psychological dynamics of the Indonesian young generation.
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