Maretha Uli, Jakarta – The Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry has begun introducing guidelines on the use of electronic devices at schools to support the implementation of a social media ban for minors under 16 which will come into force in less than three weeks.

The ban on digital platforms for children, which will gradually take effect starting on March 28, is contained in a ministerial regulation issued on Monday by the Communications and Digital Ministry as the implementing regulation for Child Protection in Digital Space Regulation (PP Tunas) that was introduced last year.

Schools minister Abdul Mu'ti said on Wednesday that the guidelines on the use of gadgets essentially recommend "limiting screen time and designating regular screen breaks and areas for gadget use in schools".

"We have started disseminating the guidelines in the hope that the implementation of PP Tunas can be carried out effectively," he said after a multi-minister meeting on child protection in the virtual world hosted by the communications ministry in Jakarta.

According to Mu'ti, schools have also disseminated the guidelines to parents.

In January, the schools ministry issued a regulation on creating safe and comfortable school environments, covering students' physical, psychological and digital safety.

"We want to build a school culture that fosters mutual respect, honor and support for learning, and make school a 'second home' for our children," Mu'ti said on Wednesday.

Under the social media ban announced by the communications ministry on Monday, the government will require online platforms to deactivate "high risk" social media accounts for under-16s in a bid to curb exposure to harmful content and online abuse. It gives the platforms a three-month window to complete their self-assessment and seek a low-risk category.

Roblox, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok were among the platforms identified by the communications ministry as being high risk.

"Even if a platform's content is not harmful, it can still be classified as high risk if it encourages addiction, for example through its algorithms," communications minister Meutya Hafid said on Wednesday.

YouTube and TikTok representatives have said previously they were reviewing the new regulation and will work with the government to protect youth in online spaces.

Also attending the Wednesday meeting was Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Arifatul Choiri Fauzi, who welcomed the incoming social media restrictions, saying it was expected to curb misuse of gadgets and social media, which has contributed to violence against children.

While the social media ban has gained support from the child protection agency and lawmakers, critics said the government should not only focus on banning unsafe platforms, but also on providing child-friendly online services and protecting children's rights to digital information, education and expression.

"To ensure protection doesn't turn into excessive restrictions, platforms should provide child-friendly services and safeguard children's personal data," Aseanty Pahlevy of digital rights group Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) said on Wednesday.

She warned that without alternative child-friendly services, children might try to falsify their age, use adults' accounts, bypass restrictions through virtual private networks (VPNs) or migrate to unregulated platforms.

Digital governance expert Wahyudi Djafar of Rakhsa Initiatives said the government must also educate parents in granting consent and permission for their child's digital space use.

He pointed out that the communications ministry has not adequately explained the policy to the public nor promoted digital literacy and supervision to parents while the introduction date nears.

"Without parents' participation, who are responsible for giving their children permission to use a platform, this regulation will not work properly," he said on Wednesday.

Source: https://asianews.network/indonesian-schools-ministry-to-regulate-screen-time-for-students