Jakarta, INTI - PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel) has responded to the policy of restricting social media and a number of digital platforms that pose risks to children under 16, in line with the implementation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on Electronic System Governance for Child Protection (PP TUNAS).
Telkomsel's VP of Corporate Communications & Social Responsibility, Abdullah Fahmi, stated that Telkomsel supports the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi)’s implementation of PP TUNAS as part of a joint effort to create a safer, healthier, and more responsible digital space, especially for Indonesian children.
"We understand that the digital space opens up many opportunities for learning and creativity, but also presents challenges that need to be managed wisely," Fahmi told Bisnis on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
Fahmi emphasized that child protection in the digital space must go hand in hand with fulfilling customers' rights to continue growing, learning, and empowering themselves through the positive and productive use of technology. In this context, strengthening protection is considered to encourage healthier and more value-added internet usage.
In line with this commitment, Telkomsel has introduced ProtekSi Kecil to help parents create a safer digital experience for their children. This service provides content filtering, internet usage time settings, and digital activity monitoring.
Furthermore, Telkomsel also encourages positive and productive internet use through the InternetBAIK program. This digital literacy initiative aims to foster responsible, safe, inspiring, and creative internet habits, including equipping young people, teachers, and parents to wisely navigate developments in digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI).
"Going forward, Telkomsel will continue to collaborate constructively with the government and stakeholders to support a safe, inclusive, and sustainable digital ecosystem," said Fahmi.
The policy of restricting access to social media and risky digital platforms for children under 16 is further regulated in Ministerial Regulation No. 9/2026, a derivative of PP TUNAS.
Previously, Masyarakat Telematika Indonesia (Mastel) also welcomed the policy. Mastel Chairman, Sarwoto Atmosutarno, assessed that this policy would not have a significant impact on the economic sector of telecommunications operators or digital platforms in the short term.
He stated that before the policy impacts businesses, operators and digital platforms need to agree on moderation measures at the system and network level, including data formatting and user age detection mechanisms.
"Furthermore, the application side moderation of the 16-year-old age limit must be connected to the inter-platform system," he said.
Sarwoto added that this mechanism requires mutually agreed standards to produce key performance indicators (KPI) related to user age restrictions. The economic impact of this policy is expected to be measurable after a year of implementation.
In the telecommunications operator sector, he estimates the impact will be insignificant because more than 90% of customers use prepaid services, so average revenue per user (ARPU) performance is relatively unaffected.
Meanwhile, for content providers, the impact will depend heavily on who makes the content purchasing decisions, whether adults or children under 16.
Sarwoto also assessed that policy socialization remains a challenge for regulators, service providers, and the public.
The Minister of Komdigi, Meutya Hafid, stated that the implementation of this policy will begin on March 28, 2026. Approximately 70 million children under the age of 16 will be affected by the suspension of access to high-risk digital platforms.
The platforms affected include YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. Account deactivation will be carried out in several phases until all platforms do compliance obligations.
Meutya also encouraged families to take advantage of the Eid holiday to strengthen direct interaction between parents and children by reducing gadget use.
"The holiday period can be used to spend more time with the family. Gadgets can be turned off or at least reduced," she said.
Conclusion
The restriction of social media and high-risk digital platforms for children under 16 under PP TUNAS marks Indonesia’s push for a safer digital space. Telkomsel supports the policy through child-protection services and digital literacy programs, while Mastel sees minimal short-term economic impact but highlights the need for strong system coordination and age-verification standards. Policy implementation begins on March 28, 2026. The policy’s success will ultimately depend on platform compliance, effective regulation, and active parental involvement in guiding children’s digital behavior.
Read more: X Changes User Age Limit to 16 Years Old, Adjusting to The PP TUNAS Regulation