YouTube, TikTok, Roblox, 5 other applications must block children’s accounts starting today, March 28 2026

New Government Policy to Protect Children in the Digital World

The Indonesian government has officially implemented new rules requiring the eight most popular applications on mobile devices to disable the accounts of users under the age of 16. This rule will come into effect on Saturday, March 28 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen child protection in the digital space.

Applications affected by this policy include:

• YouTube
• TikTok
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Threads
• X (formerly Twitter)
• Bigo Live
• Roblox

This rule is an implementation of Government Regulation (PP) Number 17 of 2025 concerning Governance of the Implementation of Electronic Systems in Child Protection or what is known as PP Tunas. This PP was implemented on March 6 2026 and has a transition period of around 22 days before it is fully implemented.

The Minister of Communications and Digital, Meutya Hafid, explained that this policy will be implemented in stages until all platforms comply with their obligations. “This process will be carried out in stages until all platforms carry out their compliance obligations,” he said in an official statement.

Real Threats in the Digital World

According to the government, children today face various serious risks on the internet, such as:

• Exposure to pornographic content
• Cyberbullying (cyberbullying)
• Online fraud
• Addiction to digital platforms

Meutya stated that the government is here so that parents no longer fight alone against the algorithm giant. “We want technology to humanize humans,” he stressed.

Large platforms such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads), YouTube and TikTok support the government’s goals. However, they also emphasized the importance of restrictions that must be carried out carefully so as not to cause other negative impacts.

Meta, for example, has implemented a “Teen Account” system with additional protections such as:

• Private account by default
• Incoming message restrictions
• Filter content according to age
• Automatic sleep mode at night
• Parental control

YouTube emphasizes the importance of maintaining access to learning for children, while still protecting them in the digital world. Meanwhile, TikTok says it has more than 50 safety features for teenage users, including message restrictions, live streaming and nighttime notifications.

Tips for Safe Social Media

Here are some tips for safe social media use to avoid fraud, data theft and other negative impacts:

• Don’t Share Personal Data
  
  Avoid sharing sensitive information such as home address, phone number, date of birth, or real-time location.

• Beware of Fake Links (Phishing)
  
  Do not carelessly click on the link or links received, especially from unknown people or suspicious threatening messages (for example: fake police report mode).

• Set Account Privacy
  
  Make sure the privacy settings on social media accounts are strictly regulated, so that only known friends can see your personal information.

• Use a Unique Password
  
  Use strong and different password combinations for each platform. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for added security.

• Selectively Add Friends
  
  Don’t easily accept friend requests from people you don’t know to avoid fraud or data misuse.

• Think Before Posting
  
  Avoid uploading things that are too personal, emotional, or have the potential to violate the law (cyberbullying/insults).

• Take a break from social media
  
  If you feel anxious or depressed seeing other people’s posts, don’t hesitate to take a break from social media to maintain your mental health.

These tips are important for maintaining data security and comfort when interacting in the digital world. With this regulation, the government hopes that parents will no longer be alone in protecting their children from the negative impacts of the digital world.