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Indonesia eyes e-commerce ban for under-16s

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Jakarta: Following its recent social media prohibition for teenagers, Indonesia is now considering a ban on e-commerce platforms for children under 16. Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid revealed the plan, citing concerns over minors becoming victims of online scams through shopping sites.

The proposed move follows Indonesia's enforcement of a social media ban in March, which aims to protect roughly 70 million children from cyberbullying, online pornography, and internet addiction. While the current restrictions target ‘high-risk’ platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and 

Roblox, the government intends to eventually apply these rules to all digital platforms. Minister Meutya compared the struggle of parents against major tech platforms to ‘playing chess against a grandmaster,’ emphasising the need for state intervention to support families. 

Indonesia joins a growing list of nations, including Australia and several European countries, seeking stricter age-based digital regulations.