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View all search resultsGovt signals more online platforms could face under-16 restrictions
In addition to the eight "high-risk" platforms subject to restrictions under the new online child protection rule, the digital ministry has indicated that other social media apps like WhatsApp could be required to adjust their minimum user age, pending the results of their self-assessments.
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A teenager holds a smartphone in front of the mobile app icon for Meta-owned messaging service WhatsApp, in this illustration taken Sept. 11, 2025. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic)
T
he government says the current list of eight digital platforms obligated to restrict users under 16 could be expanded to others, including Meta's popular messaging service WhatsApp, by the time the rule goes into effect on March 28.
The Communications and Digital Ministry has designated eight online platforms as “high-risk”: Alphabet Inc.’s video sharing platform YouTube, Meta’s social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and Threads, interactive gaming platform Roblox, xAI's social networking platform X, ByteDance’s short video app TikTok and Joyy Inc.'s live streaming app Bigo Live.
The move, which aims to protect children from potential exposure to pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, addiction and exploitation, follows the issuance of Government Regulation No. 17/2025 on child protection for electronic systems (PP Tunas).
Alexander Sabar, the ministry's director general of digital space supervision, told The Jakarta Post on Monday that the list of online platforms, officially known as electronic system providers (PSE), was still subject to change.
While the regulation was yet to apply to other PSE such as WhatsApp, Alexander said these were currently required to conduct self-assessments to evaluate risks for under-16s.
Unlisted platforms must each submit their assessment results to the ministry for verification to determine whether it should restrict access or remain accessible to children.
“If certain platforms, including WhatsApp, are found to pose a high risk based on the self-assessment, they will be required to adjust their minimum user age,” Alexander said.
