Indonesia Reprimands Alphabet Inc., Summons Meta Over Child Social Media Curbs

Indonesia has begun enforcing new social media regulations that require platforms to deactivate accounts belonging to children under 16, aiming to combat cyberbullying, online pornography, and internet addiction. The Indonesia===Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs has issued a letter of reprimand to Alphabet Inc.===Alphabet Inc.'s Google===YouTube and a second round of summons letters to both Alphabet Inc.===Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms (for Meta Platforms===Facebook, Meta Platforms===Instagram, and Meta Platforms===Threads (social network)) for alleged non-compliance. While Meta Platforms stated it has changed its minimum age requirements to 16 and received an extension, the Indonesian government, through officials like Alexander Sabar, is demanding concrete and timely compliance, warning of further sanctions, including potential platform blocks. This move by Indonesia, a nation with a large youth population and high social media usage, follows similar actions taken by Australia and reflects growing global concerns over the impact of social media on children's well-being.