Indonesia issues second summons to Google and Meta for allegedly failing to enforce a ban on social media access for users under 16, warning of sanctions.
JAKARTA: Indonesia has issued a second round of summons letters to Google and Meta for allegedly failing to comply with a new ban on social media access for users under 16.
The Communication and Digital Ministry warned of sanctions after both tech giants reportedly asked for a postponement and did not meet the requirements of an initial summons.
“Summonses can be issued up to a maximum of three times before sanctions are imposed,” the ministry stated. The ban, citing threats from online pornography, cyberbullying and internet addiction, began enforcement on Saturday.
The ministry emphasised that compliance is a critical responsibility for children’s safety online. “Every delay prolongs the risks faced by children in the digital space,” said Alexander Sabar, the ministry’s Director General for Digital Space Supervision.
He demanded concrete and timely compliance from all platforms, adding that enforcement mechanisms would proceed otherwise. Indonesia has over 284 million people and about 70 million children under 16, making it one of the world’s largest social media markets.
The ministry stated that child protection is not just an administrative duty but has a direct impact on safety. Global concerns over social media’s impact on children are growing, with Australia recently enacting similar rules.
Google and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the latest summons.
