Jakarta – Google has expressed its support for Indonesia’s proposed child protection regulations in the digital space. This commitment was conveyed during a meeting between Indonesia’s Minister of Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, and YouTube’s Vice President of Public Policy, Leslie Miller, at Google’s Paris office on Monday (February 10, 2025).
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) is currently drafting stricter regulations to protect children from exposure to harmful online content, such as child pornography and online gambling. The effectiveness of these policies depends on the commitment of digital platforms to enforce them.
“We expect Google’s cooperation to ensure a safer online environment for Indonesian children,” said Meutya, as quoted from the official press release on Wednesday (February 12, 2025).
Meutya emphasized that these regulations are urgently needed, as cases of child pornography and online gambling continue to rise in Indonesia.
Data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children shows that Indonesia ranks among the top four countries with the highest cases of child pornography in the world. Additionally, a report from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) revealed that 2% of online gambling players are under the age of 10, totaling 80,000 children.
In response, Leslie Miller affirmed that Indonesia is one of Google’s largest markets, particularly for YouTube, and that Google is fully committed to supporting the Indonesian government’s initiatives.
“We are ready to collaborate with the Indonesian government to ensure our platform is safer for all users, especially children,” said Leslie.
This meeting marks a significant step in the collaboration between Indonesia’s government and global digital platforms to enhance child protection on the internet. The regulations are still under development by Komdigi in cooperation with other relevant stakeholders.
