Indonesia wants digital platforms to embed child protection in governance, not just filter content

Since the full enforcement of the PP Tunas child protection regulation in March, digital platform providers are expected to be proactive content regulators and create a safer online environment for children. 

Instead of playing catch-up by deleting harmful content after its spread, platform providers are now expected to embed child protection directly into the design and governance of their products and services. 

"A platform's responsibility does not end with providing features. It also includes managing the risks associated with every product and service it operates," says Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection’s Assistant Deputy for Policy Formulation and Coordination, Muhammad Ihsan, to GovInsider. 

Ihsan explains that PP Tunas introduces seven risk assessment indicators to determine the risk levels that a digital service poses to children.  

These indicators include the likelihood to cause addiction, impact on children's mental and physical wellbeing, risks of personal data breaches, and whether content is appropriate for different age groups. 

"If even one of the seven indicators is rated high, then all of the platform's products, services and features are classified as high risk," he says.  

Under the regulation, platform providers must self-assess all its products, services, and features. The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) then steps in to verify the results, ensuring everything aligns with the government's standards. 

Before the full enforcement of the regulation, the government also engaged with electronic system operators, including digital platforms, to help them understand their new obligations. 

"Without sustained commitment from electronic system operators, the government's regulatory and supervisory efforts are unlikely to achieve their intended impact," Ihsan adds. 

Addressing the implementation gap 

However, Ihsan stresses that regulation alone is not enough to protect children online. 

He says the government is also strengthening public awareness through communication, information and education programmes aimed at families, recognising parents and caregivers as children's closest line of support. 

"The challenge is that not all family members, particularly parents, have sufficient digital literacy,” he notes. 

 This knowledge gap makes it difficult for parents to keep up with their children, whose tech-savviness often develops much faster than their parents' ability to monitor it. 

For this reason, protecting children online cannot rest on a single stakeholder.  

While the government is responsible for regulation and oversight, parents provide guidance and supervision, and digital platforms must ensure the services they provide are safe for children. 

This collaborative approach is reflected in Presidential Regulation No. 87 of 2025 on the Roadmap for Child Protection in the Online Environment. The policy brings together 15 ministries and government agencies around three strategic pillars: prevention, response, and collaboration. 

On the prevention front, the government is working to close legal loopholes that could still be exploited within the digital ecosystem. 

Holding platforms accountable 

In a separate interview, Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI)’s Chairman, Aris Adi Leksono, says that platform compliance is critical to the successful implementation.

According to Leksono, platforms should not simply provide reporting mechanisms after harmful incidents occur, but must be capable of preventing harmful content from spreading in the first place. 

"Platforms should have some form of early warning system that enables early detection, restrictions, and faster takedowns," he notes. 

Leksono also proposed establishing rescue centres for child victims of digital crime. These centres would not only receive reports but also provide psychological support services and connect victims with other child protection agencies."Platforms must also share responsibility when children suffer mental health impacts as a result of their digital activities or become victims of online crime." 

He adds that monitoring of the digital space should make greater use of technology capable of rapidly detecting harmful content. The involvement of parents and schools, as mandated under PP Tunas, should also be translated into concrete programmes rather than remaining limited to awareness campaigns or public messaging. 

Online crimes against children remain a serious concern 

The continued prevalence of online crimes against children underscores the vital importance of enforcing PP Tunas. 

KPAI recorded 1,508 public complaints throughout 2025, covering 2,031 child rights violation cases involving 2,063 victims. 

Among these, digital forms of abuse including cyberbullying, child grooming, online sexual exploitation, and human trafficking conducted through digital platforms. 

Human trafficking was ranked as the third most reported category nationwide, after sexual violence and physical and psychological abuse. 

According to Leksono, the threats facing children online are no longer isolated incidents. Instead, they continue to evolve alongside advances in technology and changing patterns of internet use. 

Platforms that were originally designed as spaces for learning, entertainment and social interaction are increasingly being exploited by perpetrators to approach children, distribute child sexual exploitation material, and recruit victims for human trafficking. 

He shares a recent child pornography case uncovered by KPAI together with the Jakarta Metropolitan Police involving a social media platform as evidence that online risks can quickly escalate into real-world crimes with devastating consequences for children. 

Meanwhile, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are expanding the range of risks facing young internet users. 

"AI can accelerate the large-scale production of content, while platform algorithms can reinforce personalised content recommendations that may increase children's exposure to harmful material," he adds. 

Leksono stresses that the government continues to bear primary responsibility through regulation, oversight, and enforcement against electronic system operators that fail to protect children. 

However, effective child protection will only be possible if government, digital platforms, parents, schools and the wider community each fulfil their respective roles within an integrated child protection ecosystem, he concludes.