Videogame platform Roblox will soon introduce new content and communication controls for its players under 16 years old in Indonesia. This move is a direct response to Indonesia’s new rules designed to block children from certain social media content. Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer, confirmed this decision in an email statement on Wednesday.
Indonesia recently issued a ministerial regulation that will require online platforms to deactivate “high risk” social media accounts for users under 16. These new rules are set to take effect on March 28, according to Meutya Hafid, Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Minister.
The Communications and Digital Ministry had previously identified Roblox, along with Instagram, Google’s YouTube, and TikTok (owned by China’s ByteDance), as platforms considered “high risk” for underage users.
“This week, we announced that in order to address regional requirements in Indonesia, we will soon introduce additional controls on content and communication for players under the age of 16 years old in Indonesia,” Kaufman stated. Roblox, however, did not offer specific details about what these additional controls would involve.
In a similar move, the social media platform X announced that starting March 28, Indonesian users will need to be at least 16 years old to create or maintain an account. X explained on its website that Indonesia’s minimum age requirement “prevents age-restricted social media platforms, including X, from letting people under 16 create or keep an account. It’s not our choice – it’s what Indonesian law requires.”
Indonesia is one of several countries globally, including Australia, that have recently placed restrictions on social media access for children. These actions reflect growing concerns worldwide about the safety and mental health of underage users on online platforms, leading governments to implement stricter regulations.
