Minister Of Trade Ensures PP For Child Protection In Digital Space Is Inaugurated In The Near Future

Menkomdigi Meutya Hafid dan Wamenkomdigi Nezar Patria (Foto: Dinda Buana/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid ensured that child protection regulations in the digital space or Child Protection Governance in the Implementation of Electronic Systems (TKPAPSE) will be inaugurated in the near future.

Meutya also emphasized that in the drafting of this regulation, the government, especially Komdigi, has involved other Ministries/Institutions, and many stakeholders.

"We'll wait, hopefully in the near future. We will involve many Ministries, academics, including several NGOs who are children's observers, and hopefully it can be finished in the near future," said Meutya during a breaking of the fast with reporters in Jakarta, Friday, March 21.

The regulations that will be issued in the form of Government Regulations (PP) will later regulate the limitation of children's age in playing social media, without losing the child's ability to access the internet.

The right language is the limitation of children's accounts in the digital space, especially for social media. So if the child uses or is accompanied by parents, it's okay. So we don't try to limit children from advances in technology," he explained.

He also added, which is not allowed is that they have their own account and surf themselves. It's like in the real world, we can't let our children leave the house in an area so vulnerable to being alone.

To strengthen this regulation, Meutya also stated that her party had met representatives of each digital platform including TikTok, Google, and Meta. But apparently, the responses of each platform are different.

Unlike TikTok and Google for full support, although Meta expressed its support, the company owned by Mark Zuckerberg prompted the government to share a draft regulation on age restrictions on the use of social media to relevant stakeholders.

Vice President of Public Policy for Asia-Pacific at Meta Simon Milner argues that limiting children's age in accessing social media is not the right thing.

"Meta supports regulations related to the safety of teenagers in the online world, but limiting access to technology for millions of teenagers in Indonesia is not the right solution," Simon said on March 12.

However, the Minister of Trade emphasized that they had followed the procedures for making regulations that were in accordance with the regulations, by inviting all relevant stakeholders to discuss.

"We have invited everything from the platform, if you have a heart, I don't know. But in principle we have followed the processes of making a regulation, and all stakeholders are involved," he said.

Currently, the Child Protection PP in the Digital Room is entering the stage of synchronization and harmonization at the Ministry of State Secretariat and the Ministry of Law.