Minister of Communication and Digital Regulation No. 9 of 2026 Requires the Deletion of Social Media Accounts of Children Under 16 Years of Age

Introduction

On 6 March 2026, the Ministry of Communication and Digital issued Minister of Communication and Digital Regulation Number 9 of 2026 on the Implementing Regulation of Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Operation in the Protection of Children (“MOCD Regulation 9/2026”), which took effect on the same date. This regulation functions as a technical guideline for Electronic System Operators (“ESOs”) to create a safe digital environment by establishing strict standards for age verification, risk assessment, and data protection mechanisms for child users.

MOCD Regulation 9/2026 was issued to provide technical rules for implementing the mandate of Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic System Operation in the Protection of Children (“GR 17/2025”), particularly on the obligations of ESOs to ensure the safety of children in the online environment. The Government recognizes the importance of structured governance to address continuously evolving digital risks, including exposure to harmful content, interactions with strangers, and the risks of addiction and commercial exploitation of children, by requiring ESOs to conduct self-assessments and implement child-friendly design.

 

Key Provisions

Age Restrictions and Prohibition on Targeting Toddler Users

According to Article 2, ESOs are required to provide information on the minimum age of children permitted to use their products, with the minimum age set at 3 (three) years. MOCD Regulation 9/2026 divides children’s age ranges into five categories, namely 3–5 years, 6–9 years, 10–12 years, 13–15 years, and 16 years to under 18 years. Article 2 paragraph (6) prohibits ESOs from targeting products, services, and features toward children under 3 (three) years of age.

Self-Assessment Obligations and Risk Profiles

Based on Article 9, every ESO is required to conduct a self-assessment to ensure that its products comply with children’s age restrictions and to evaluate the level of risk involved. This assessment covers seven aspects, as follows:

1. Contact with strangers;
2. Exposure to pornographic content, violent content, and other content inappropriate for children;
3. Exploitation of children as consumers;
4. Threats to the security of children’s personal data;
5. Causing addiction;
6. Psychological health disturbances in children; and
7. Physiological disturbances in children.

According to Article 8 paragraph (5), if a product presents a high risk in one or more aspects, the product is categorized as having a High-Risk Profile. Conversely, a Low-Risk Profile is assigned only if the product presents low risk across all aspects.

Deletion of Social Media Accounts of Children Under 16 Years of Age

Article 30 stipulates that Social Networking and Social Media Services are categorized as products with a High-Risk Profile, unless determined otherwise based on the results of self-assessment and risk profile determination by the Minister. According to Article 30 paragraph (3), ESOs that operate social media services must deactivate accounts belonging to Children under 16 (sixteen) years of age. This provision is reinforced by the account ownership rule in Article 29, which limits account ownership for children under 16 years of age to products with a Low-Risk Profile. Meanwhile, Children aged 16 years to under 18 years may own accounts on general products with parental consent.

Age Verification Obligations and Parental Control

Based on Article 7, ESOs must provide mechanisms to verify child users by implementing technical, operational, and technological measures to verify age accurately. According to Article 10, if a product enables interaction with strangers, ESOs must provide parental control technology so that parents can grant or refuse consent for such interactions.

Mitigation of Addiction-Inducing Aspects and the Exploitation of Children as Consumers

With regard to aspects that may cause addiction, Article 17 requires ESOs to assess whether the design or technology they use encourages children to use the service excessively. Meanwhile, regarding the exploitation of children as consumers, Article 15 requires ESOs to assess whether they target children in offers of goods or services, including in-app purchase behavior and the profiling of children for sales strategies.

Supervision

According to Article 31, the Minister, through the Director General, has the authority to conduct supervision through monitoring, investigation, and the receipt of public complaints. If an ESO provides self-assessment data that is inaccurate or misleading, the Minister may impose administrative sanctions and may also report the matter to law enforcement authorities. The examination of alleged violations may take place through physical or virtual summons, and ESOs are required to submit the requested data.

 

Sanctions

Administrative sanctions that may be imposed on ESOs include written warnings, administrative fines, temporary suspension, and access termination (blocking). These sanctions are regulated under GR 17/2025. Such sanctions apply if an ESO is proven to have provided inaccurate or misleading data in its self-assessment report, refuses to submit documents during an examination, or fails to attend examination summons three consecutive times. The Government emphasizes that dishonesty or incomplete data submission will form the basis for determining poor compliance and may result in heavier sanctions.

In implementation, the Minister or the Director General imposes sanctions based on the results of examinations and valid evidence of violations. ESOs have the right to submit written objections within 21 days after receiving the sanction; however, the objection does not suspend the implementation of the imposed sanction. If the ESO still disagrees with the Minister’s decision on the objection, the ESO may pursue further legal action by filing a lawsuit with the State Administrative Court (PTUN).

 

Transitional Provisions

Based on Article 62, ESOs must submit a report on the results of the self-assessment of their products, services, and features to the Minister through the Director General no later than 6 June 2026.

 

Closing

MOCD Regulation 9/2026 requires ESOs to conduct independent risk assessments, ensure accurate age verification, and provide parental control technology to mitigate risks such as addiction and exploitation. This regulation establishes clear restrictions through the obligation to delete social media accounts belonging to children under 16 years of age and the prohibition on targeting users under 3 years of age, accompanied by the threat of administrative sanctions, including access blocking, for ESOs that fail to report their compliance no later than 6 June 2026.