Indonesia will ban children under 16 from using social media platforms, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid announced Friday.

Hafid signed a government regulation prohibiting minors from having accounts on what the ministry categorized as high-risk digital platforms. The ban will apply to YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox.

The regulation will take effect gradually beginning March 28, though specific implementation details were not immediately provided.

Hafid cited multiple online safety concerns as justification for the measure. "Our children face increasingly real threats. From exposure to pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and most importantly addiction," she said in a statement to media.

The minister framed the policy as government support for parents dealing with digital challenges. "The government is here so that parents no longer have to fight alone against the giant of algorithms," Hafid said.

Indonesia joins a growing number of countries implementing age restrictions on social media use, though enforcement mechanisms and verification processes for the new regulation remain unclear.