Child Protection in Digital Spaces Urged as National Priority

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) has stressed that safeguarding children in digital spaces must be treated as a national priority, following the alarming rise in online child sexual exploitation cases in the country.

“This is a loud wake-up call for all of us. The digital space has increasingly become a site of extortion, coercion, and exploitation of children. The state cannot afford to be absent,” Deputy Minister of PPPA, Veronica Tan, said in a press briefing in Jakarta on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

Data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline places Indonesia among the top three countries worldwide with the highest number of child sexual exploitation reports. 

Veronica highlighted that sextortion, grooming, and live-streaming abuse often begin with perpetrators building closeness before instilling fear to control victims.

“It’s not just about catching offenders, but breaking their grip over victims. Handling these crimes cannot be reactive, case by case. The state must step in with a systemic protection framework,” she emphasized.

Veronica noted that Indonesia already has a strong legal foundation to protect children in digital spaces through three key laws. However, she underlined the need to strengthen implementation through cross-sector collaboration.

“We need an integrated protection ecosystem. All stakeholders must move together to ensure children’s safety in the digital realm,” she said.

To bolster protection, the ministry is enhancing complaint services via SAPA 129 and regional technical units (UPTD) for Women and Child Protection. These services provide assistance, rehabilitation, and recovery for victims.

Meanwhile, a representative of the International Justice Mission (IJM), David Ruggiero, stressed that cybercrimes against children demand specialized handling with dedicated resources. 

He warned that the scale of online child sexual exploitation is too vast and complex to be addressed with ordinary or partial measures.

“Online child sexual exploitation is far too massive and complex to be handled casually. There must be specialized teams fully focused on this issue,” Ruggiero stated. (Annaila Azzahra/Sri Wahyuni)