PP Tunas: Indonesia’s New Digital Regulation to Protect Children Online

The rapid growth of digital platforms has reshaped how children learn, communicate, and entertain themselves. While the internet offers unprecedented opportunities, it also exposes children to serious risks such as harmful content, cyberbullying, online grooming, and the exploitation of personal data. Recognizing these challenges, the Indonesian government introduced PP Tunas, a landmark regulation designed to strengthen child protection in the digital ecosystem. Formally known as Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on the Governance of Electronic Systems for Child Protection, PP Tunas was issued by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs (Komdigi).  

The Indonesian government officially signed and adopted PP Tunas in March 2025, and the regulation entered into legal force on 1 April 2025. It sets out rules and responsibilities for Electronic System Providers (ESPs), including social media companies, online games, streaming services, applications, and other digital platforms when their services are accessible to children. Rather than banning children from digital spaces, PP Tunas aims to guide, protect, and empower them. It establishes minimum safety standards for platforms. At the same time, it promotes a healthier digital environment through regulation, education, and collaboration.

Main Provisions and Obligations 

PP Tunas introduces several significant requirements for digital platforms operating in Indonesia: 

1. Age Verification and Parental Controls: Platforms are required to implement age verification mechanisms to prevent children from accessing services or content that is not appropriate for their age. In addition, parental control features must be made available, allowing parents or guardians to monitor, limit, or guide their children’s online activities. These measures ensure that platforms do not automatically expose children to adult-oriented content or high-risk digital environments.
2.  Content Moderation and Risk Mitigation: Electronic System Providers must actively identify, filter, and remove content that could harm children. This included content related to violence, sexual exploitation, gambling, and other material deemed inappropriate or dangerous. Platforms must also conduct risk assessments and implement technical and organizational safeguards. These measures reduce children’s exposure to harmful content and do not rely solely on user reports.
3. Reporting and Response Mechanisms: PP Tunas requires platforms to provide clear and accessible reporting tools so users can easily report harmful or illegal content. Once a report is submitted, platforms must respond promptly and transparently, including taking corrective action where necessary. This provision aims to ensure faster responses to threats against children and to improve trust between users and digital service providers.
4. Restrictions on Data Use and Commercial Profiling: One of the most important aspects of PP Tunas is its strong stance on data protection. The regulation restricts the collection, processing, and use of children’s personal data for commercial purposes, including targeted advertising and behavioral profiling. Platforms must apply privacy-by-default settings for child accounts, ensuring the highest level of privacy protection unless explicitly changed by a parent or guardian. 

Implementation and Recent Developments 

The government is implementing PP Tunas gradually, with a transition period of up to two years to allow digital platforms to achieve full compliance. During this phase, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) has placed strong emphasis on public outreach, industry engagement, and digital literacy initiatives. 

Although PP Tunas has already been issued and is legally in force, its full enforcement remains dependent on the technical readiness of digital platforms. In this context, Komdigi has stated its target to achieve full implementation by 2026, marking the transition from preparatory measures to comprehensive enforcement across the digital ecosystem. The government believes that delaying or restring access for children aged 13-18 to certain digital platforms is necessary to reduce risks associated with addiction, online crime, gambling, narcotics, and even digital extremism. With nearly half of Indonesia’s internet users under the age of 18, Komdigi has emphasized the urgency of moving from policy formulation to real-world enforcement.  

Challenges on the Regulation 

Despite its broad support, PP Tunas has sparked debate. Some critics have raised concerns about how age verification systems will be implemented particularly regarding privacy and the potential misuse of sensitive data. Others worry about overregulation and the possibility of restricting children’s access to beneficial digital resources. Moreover, Indonesia’s House of Representatives has raised concern that the sanctions stipulated under PP Tunas are too weak to effectively deter violations by major digital platforms. Lawmakers argue that without strong penalties, platforms may lack sufficient incentive to fully comply with child protection obligations. In particular, members of the DPR compared Indonesia’s approach with Australia’s stricter regulatory framework which imposes fines of up to AUD 50 million on platforms that violate child online safety rules. By contrast, sanctions under PP Tunas are viewed as relatively mild and more administrative in nature, focusing on warnings, compliance orders, and potential platforms restrictions rather than heavy financial penalties.  

According to legislators, the disparity raises questions about Indonesia’s bargaining power when dealing with large global technology companies. They warn that without tougher sanctions; Indonesia risks being seen as less firm in enforcing child protection standards compared to other countries. Despite the criticism, PP Tunas remains an important legal foundation for protecting children in digital spaces. Lawmakers have indicated that sanction mechanisms may need to be strengthened in future revisions or through derivative regulations to ensure the regulation has real enforcement impact and aligns with international best practices. 

Indonesia Among Early Adopters of Child Protection Rules 

Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs has emphasized that Indonesia is among the earliest countries to establish a legal framework for protecting children on social media through PP Tunas. It only Indonesia and Australia currently have enacted regulations specifically addressing child protection in social media use. Other countries, including Malaysia and several European nations, are still in the process of drafting similar policies. This gives Indonesian an early strategic advantage in shaping a safer digital environment for children.  

Australia passed its social media access restriction law by Online Safety Amendment Act 2024 in November 2024 by banning children under 16 from holding social media accounts. After a one-year transition period, the regulation came into force in December 2025 with strict obligations imposed on digital platforms along with substantial sanctions for non-compliance. While PP Tunas adopts a similar protective approach, Indonesia has chosen a more gradual and flexible implementation strategy. Rather than imposing an outright ban, PP Tunas introduces delayed access to social media based on age categories and platform risks level. 

Conclusion 

PP Tunas marks a crucial step in Indonesia’s effort to create a safer and more responsible digital environment for children. By emphasizing age-appropriate access, stronger platform accountability, and enhanced data protection, the regulation moves beyond reactive measures toward a more preventive and structured approach to online child safety. While the regulation is already legally in force, its true effectiveness will depend on how well digital platforms adapt their systems and how consistently the government enforces compliance during and after the transition period toward full implementation in 2026. 

Sources: 

1. https://teknologi.bisnis.com/read/20251209/101/1935488/dpr-nilai-sanksi-pp-tunas-terlalu-lembek-bandingkan-denda-rp500-miliar-australia 
2. https://rm.id/baca-berita/government-action/292999/susul-australia-melalui-pp-tunas-ri-sediakan-payung-hukum-perlindungan-anak-di-medsos 
3. https://www.komdigi.go.id/berita/siaran-pers/detail/menkomdigi-pastikan-implementasi-pp-tunas-pemerintah-belajar-pengalaman-australia 
4. https://www.tempo.co/digital/telah-resmi-diteken-apa-saja-yang-diatur-dalam-pp-tunas–1226049 
5. https://kilaskementerian.kompas.com/komdigi/read/2025/12/08/10061571/indonesia-terapkan-pp-tunas-ini-kelebihannya-dibanding-regulasi-keamanan