March 9, 2026
CNET: Indonesia to Ban YouTube, TikTok, Other Social Media Apps for Children Under 16
Indonesia is the latest country to block social media, saying the apps pose "increasingly real threats" to young people.
Indonesia is set to block teenagers from social media apps, stating it will prevent anyone under 16 from having accounts on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox, according to an Associated Press report. The restrictions will begin on March 28 and continue until all platforms comply with the ruling, the government said.
Indonesian Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said there are "clear" reasons for the bans...
Donna Rice Hughes, president and CEO of child online safety organization Enough Is Enough®, applauded the "proactive step" that Indonesia and other countries are taking to ban kids under 16 from using social media.
"These bans should be an incentive for social media and other platforms to implement safer-by-design technologies and default parental management tools before rushing to market with products that can be dangerous for children and teens," Hughes said.