She highlighted the increasing risks children face when using the internet and social media. Not all digital platforms are suitable for free access by children, as some contain content that poses high risks to their safety and psychological health.
"Platforms with high risk may only be accessed by children aged 16 and above, and they must be accompanied by their parents," she noted in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.
Hafid explained that under the government regulation, each digital platform has a different age limit for children based on its risk level.
"Digital platforms cannot be treated equally. Thus, the government will classify access based on the platform's risk category of low, moderate, and high," she remarked.
The minister underlined that high-risk platforms, such as those containing pornography, violence, or prone to bullying, will be subject to strict age restrictions.
Furthermore, children will be divided into several age groups to determine their access to digital platforms. For example, children under 13 can only access platforms that are fully safe, such as educational platforms.
Meanwhile, those aged 13–15 can access platforms categorized as having low and moderate risks, and children aged 16–17 can access high-risk platforms only when accompanied by their parents.
Those aged 18 and above can freely access all platforms independently.
She assessed that the regulation marks an important milestone in creating a safer and healthier digital space for children.
However, efforts to protect children in the digital space are not solely the government's responsibility but also require active participation from the community, parents, and children themselves.
She encouraged children to report if they become victims of violence in the digital space and emphasized that children should not remain silent if they become targets of bullying, fraud, or suspicious invitations from strangers on social media.
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Translator: Farhan Arda, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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