JAKARTA: Indonesia has sent Google a letter of reprimand because its YouTube platform has not complied with new social media curbs for children, a senior minister said, the first such sanction since the rules took effect last month.
Google’s YouTube has not fulfilled its requirements under the new law and has not outlined steps to comply, Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said on Thursday (Apr 9).
“There’s no other choice from the Indonesian government to tolerate them … and now we’re moving on to sanctions. And that sanction is a letter of reprimand,” Meutya said, adding the government expects Google to comply.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
The regulation, which came into effect on Mar 28, requires social media companies with platforms it deems high risk to deactivate accounts belonging to children under 16.
The sanctions for breaching the curbs could go as far as a block on the platforms, Indonesia has said.
Indonesia has also flagged TikTok, Roblox, X and Meta as high-risk platforms.
On Thursday, Meta said it had changed its minimum-age requirements to 16.
Meutya welcomed the move, saying it demonstrated that technical hurdles are no excuse for failing to follow the regulation.
“This is a matter of will and good faith from major platforms to comply with Indonesia’s law,” she was quoted as saying on Thursday by news agency Antara.
Meta operates Instagram, Facebook and Threads.
Other platforms in compliance also include X and Bigo Live, Antara reported.
Indonesia’s curbs, which the government says are intended to reduce the risk of cyberbullying and addiction, follow a ban in Australia last year over concerns about social media’s potential harms to young people’s mental health
