Indonesia deactivates 4.7 million child accounts on TikTok, YouTube

JAKARTA, Indonesia: Social media platforms TikTok and YouTube have shut down about 4.7 million accounts belonging to children under 16 in Indonesia, the country’s communications minister said, as new social media rules started to take effect.

TikTok, created by ByteDance, removed 4.1 million accounts, while YouTube, owned by Google under Alphabet Inc., removed 600,000 accounts, Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said late on June 25. She also said the government wants other platforms to take similar action.

Neither company gave an immediate response when asked for comment.

In March, Indonesia introduced a rule requiring social media platforms considered high-risk to deactivate accounts of users under 16. These platforms include X, Instagram (owned by Meta Platforms), and the gaming platform Roblox.

“We are not just delaying children’s access, but we also want platforms to change their behavior,” Meutya said, adding that the ministry is reviewing reports submitted by these companies.

The government says these restrictions are meant to reduce risks like cyberbullying and addiction. Indonesia’s move follows a ban in Australia last year over concerns about the harmful effects of social media on young people’s mental health.

Australia’s approach is being closely watched, and many countries are considering similar steps due to concerns about the mental and physical health of children.

This month, the United Kingdom also announced plans to introduce broader restrictions, including rules for gaming and live-streaming platforms.

This month, the UAE, too, announced a similar restriction. Under the rule announced on June 18, children under 15 could not create or use social media accounts. This means they could not post, comment, share content, or join public groups.

Source – Indonesia News