Social media platforms TikTok and YouTube have deactivated approximately 4.7 million accounts belonging to children under the age of 16 in Indonesia, marking one of the biggest enforcement actions since the country’s new social media regulations came into effect.
Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Minister, Meutya Hafid, announced that TikTok, owned by Chinese technology company ByteDance, removed around 4.1 million accounts, while YouTube, operated by Google, deactivated nearly 600,000 accounts.
The minister also expressed hope that other digital platforms would take similar action to protect young users online.
At the time of the announcement, neither TikTok nor YouTube had issued an immediate response regarding the deactivations.
In March, Indonesia introduced regulations requiring social media companies that are considered high-risk platforms to disable accounts owned by children under 16 years old. The rules currently apply to platforms including X, Instagram, and gaming platform Roblox.
“We’re not just delaying a child’s access, but we want behaviours from platforms to change, too,” Minister Meutya Hafid said, adding that authorities are currently reviewing self-assessment reports submitted by technology companies.
The Indonesian government says the new measures are intended to reduce cyberbullying, limit excessive screen time, and protect children from digital addiction and other online risks.
Indonesia’s move follows Australia’s landmark social media restrictions introduced last year amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health and overall wellbeing.
Australia’s approach is now being closely observed by governments around the world, many of which are considering similar measures to address the increasing mental and physical health challenges facing children and teenagers in the digital era.
Adding to the global momentum, Britain recently announced plans to introduce broader restrictions that would also cover gaming and live-streaming platforms.
As children spend more time online than ever before, governments, parents, and technology companies are facing difficult questions about digital safety. The deactivation of millions of accounts in Indonesia is more than just an enforcement exercise—it signals a growing global shift toward creating safer online environments for young users. The challenge ahead will be finding the right balance between access to technology and protecting the wellbeing of the next generation.
Source: Reuters
