Jakarta, INTI - Indonesians spend an average of more than three hours per day on social media platforms such as TikTok. Amid this high usage, the government has officially implemented restrictions on social media access for children under 16, effective today, Saturday, March 28, 2026.
This restriction is part of the implementation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic Systems for Child Protection (PP TUNAS), along with its derivative regulation under Minister of Communication and Digital Regulation No. 9 of 2026.
Global and Local Concerns over Social Media Addiction
Social media addiction has also become a global concern. In the United States, tech giants Meta Platforms and Google were fined in a social media addiction case decided in Los Angeles on Wednesday (March 25). The jury ordered both companies to pay a total of US$6 million (approximately IDR 101.4 billion at an exchange rate of IDR 16,905 per USD).
The fine consists of US$3 million in compensatory damages and another US$3 million in punitive damages. The jury found that both companies were deliberate in practices deemed harmful to users.
Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, bore the largest share of the fine at around 70%, while Google, the owner of YouTube, was responsible for the remaining 30%.
Social Media Trends and AI Adoption in Indonesia
In Indonesia, social media usage is also high. The 2026 Global Digital Report by We Are Social ranks Indonesia 16th in the world in terms of social media usage duration.
The report, released on November 11, 2025, also notes that the number of social media identities in Indonesia reached 180 million in 2025, equivalent to 62.9% of the total population, growing 26% year-on-year.
Social media is the most accessed platform type, followed by instant messaging apps, reflecting the strong demand for digital social connectivity.
On average, Indonesians spend 21 hours and 50 minutes per week on social media, including watching online videos, which translates to over three hours of daily use.
By platform, WhatsApp is the most frequently used and favored app, with nine out of ten users active monthly. TikTok and WhatsApp show nearly equal daily engagement, with average usage durations of 1 hour 53 minutes and 1 hour 52 minutes per day, respectively.
Meanwhile, YouTube records the longest average session duration at 16 minutes 49 seconds, followed by SnackVideo at 15 minutes 4 seconds.
Additionally, AI adoption in Indonesia is growing rapidly. More than one-third of the population reportedly uses ChatGPT monthly, making it one of the most visited platforms.
Similarweb ranks ChatGPT as the fourth most visited website in Indonesia, while SEMrush places it at eighth. Globally, ChatGPT dominates AI referral traffic with an 80.6% share, followed by Perplexity at 15.03%.
Conclusion
High social media engagement in Indonesia highlights the need for stronger digital protection policies, particularly for children under 16. Coupled with global awareness of social media addiction and rapid AI adoption, the trend underscores the importance of balancing digital innovation with responsible and safe usage.
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