TikTok Deactivates 4.1 Million Accounts for Indonesian Users Under 16
The Communications and Digital Minister of Indonesia, Meutya Hafid, announced that TikTok has deactivated 4.1 million accounts belonging to children under the age of 16. This follows YouTube removing an additional 600,000 such accounts.
The coordinated enforcement comes after a March regulation targeting high-risk platforms in Indonesia. The regulation, which was enacted by the country’s Ministry of Communications and Digital, requires social media companies classified as being at high risk to block the accounts of users below 16 years of age.
Meutya stated that the ministry is still analyzing self-assessment reports from these platforms but hopes others will follow suit soon. He emphasized that the aim is not just to delay access for children but also to encourage behavioral changes in the platforms themselves.
The country’s justification for these measures includes combating cyberbullying, addiction, and poor mental health conditions among young people. Indonesia believes algorithm-driven feeds and social comparison can cause psychological damage beyond what content filtering measures can address. This perspective is similar to Australia’s rationale when it introduced a ban on under-16s using the platform in December.
This month, Britain has extended its regulatory regime to gaming and live streaming platforms. Unlike Australia’s blanket ban approach, Indonesia uses platform-specific regulation based on risk assessment criteria. High-risk designations require active account deactivation rather than relying solely on age verification during sign-up.