Faith, ethics must ground children's digital access: minister

 Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar emphasized that strong foundations of religious faith and ethics within families and the education system are essential to ensure children are well prepared to navigate the digital world.

“We want to ensure that strong foundations of faith and ethics are built within families and educational environments before children access the digital space,” he said here 

He affirmed that the Ministry of Religious Affairs fully supports the Government Regulation on Electronic System Governance for Child Protection, known as PP Tunas.

The minister stressed that derivative rules of PP Tunas, as stipulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs No. 9 of 2026, which defers social media access for children under 16 starting March 28, 2026, are not intended as restrictions.

Instead, he said, the regulation serves as a form of state protection to support the development of children under 16.

Umar has instructed all staff across Islamic schools (madrasah) and religious education institutions to strictly oversee the implementation of this policy.

According to him, educational institutions should use this momentum to strengthen digital literacy, grounded in a solid reinforcement of religious and ethical values.

He also called on teachers, religious leaders, and parents to guide children with compassion. Cooperation between schools and families, he added, is key to ensuring the regulation delivers tangible impact.

Earlier, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid warned that the Indonesian government would not compromise with digital platforms that fail to protect children as mandated by PP Tunas, which took effect on March 28, 2026.

Hafid expressed appreciation for X and Bigo Live, noting that both are in full compliance with PP Tunas. She also welcomed efforts by TikTok and Roblox, which have been categorized as partially compliant.

Meanwhile, Facebook, Threads, Instagram, and YouTube have yet to meet the requirements set out under the regulation.