The South Sumatra Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) supports restricting digital access for children under 16

Palembang, The Indonesia Post – The government’s policy through the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) to limit children’s access to social media and online gaming platforms has received support from the South Sumatra Provincial DPRD.

South Sumatra Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) member Fajar Febriansyah expressed his appreciation for the policy prohibiting children under 16 from freely accessing social media and the internet. He stated that this measure is crucial to protecting children from the negative impacts of the increasingly complex and difficult-to-control digital world.

“It’s not just social media, the use of online games also needs to be limited so that children don’t spend too much time in the digital world,” said Fajar, Sunday.

This politician from the National Mandate Party (PAN) believes that restricting children’s digital access is nothing new. Several developed countries have already implemented similar regulations in an effort to protect young people from inappropriate digital content. Among the countries that have implemented internet access restrictions for children are Australia, the United States, China, and France.

Fajar emphasized that restricting access policies is crucial because there is still a lot of content on social media that is unsuitable for children, even though digital platforms have implemented filtering systems.

In addition, according to him, children need to interact more directly with their surroundings rather than constantly being in cyberspace.

“Children need to be given space to socialize with the community, learn about their environment, and interact directly with nature,” he added.

Fajar also encourages children to be directed towards various positive activities, such as religious education, cultural introduction, and sports activities.

He hopes that Komdigi will not only create restrictive regulations but also collaborate with other technical ministries to provide positive spaces and programs that can develop children’s skills.

“This way, children’s time isn’t just spent in the digital world, but is also filled with activities that build their character and development,” Fajar concluded. (mhn/bbs)