RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta — Indonesia has raised the minimum age requirement for major social media platforms to 16 years old. The Ministry of Communication and Digital believes this is an effort to protect children online and enforce stricter digital governance on global tech companies. At the press conference at Jakarta on Thursday, April 9, 2026, Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, confirmed that Meta has abided by the rules while issuing formal warnings to Google.

The policy shift, implemented under the government’s digital child protection framework, has already prompted compliance from Meta, which oversees Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. Minister Meutya confirmed that the company has updated its community guidelines to align with the new legal threshold.

“Meta has officially updated its Community Guidelines by setting a minimum age of 16 across all its platforms,” Meutya said, noting that the adjustment applies across its major services.

Indonesia’s move places it among a growing number of countries tightening online safety rules, but its higher age threshold goes beyond the widely adopted global standard of 13. Furthermore, the minister emphasized that compliance is not merely a technical matter but a question of corporate responsibility.

“Technical issues aren’t really the problem here; it’s a matter of the willingness and good faith of major platforms to comply with Indonesian law,” she stated.

Alongside recognizing Meta’s compliance, Meutya Hafid issued a formal warning to Google, which operates YouTube, for failing to meet regulatory requirements. The move underscores a stricter enforcement stance toward non-compliant platforms.

“The government can no longer show leniency and must now move from the investigative phase to the enforcement phase,” Meutya conveyed in the same occasion.

She indicated that enforcement will proceed in stages, but warned that continued non-compliance could trigger further penalties. The ministry also urged other platforms, including TikTok and Roblox, to submit compliance plans within a defined timeline.

While the regulatory framework is now in place, the ministry acknowledged that implementation will take time, particularly given the scale of platform users in Indonesia, which exceeds 100 million for some services.

Meta has committed to rolling out changes gradually, including updating guidelines in multiple languages and preparing to deactivate accounts belonging to users under 16.

“As part of this commitment, Meta has already announced that it will begin a phased deactivation process,” Meutya said, adding that enforcement will be monitored closely.

The ministry has set a three-month window for platforms to submit independent risk assessments, a move aimed at ensuring sustained compliance beyond initial policy adjustments.

In addition, she stated that daily monitoring of digital platforms will continue while also stressing parent’s role. The new policy is part of a broader effort to create a safer online environment for minors while holding global tech companies accountable to national laws.