JAKARTA – The Japanese Ministry of Communications plans to require social media platforms to verify user ages more strictly to address addiction and bullying problems among teenagers.
However, in discussing the draft policy on Wednesday, the ministry will not impose age restrictions as other countries do, because social media serves as an important communication tool in Japan.
The policy proposal is included in a draft presented at an expert forum. The Japanese Children and Family Agency will determine specific measures and the need for legal revisions when the final draft is completed by the end of summer.
Dilansirr ANTARA from Kyodo, Wednesday, April 22, the draft regulates social media platforms to assess and explain the risks associated with the use of their services, as well as the steps taken to protect young users.
Social media, such as X and Instagram, do require users to be at least 13 years old to create an account. However, age verification only relies on information reported by users themselves during registration. Thus, it allows underage users to ignore the requirement.
In 2025, Australia became the first country in the world to impose a social media ban for children under the age of 16 to protect young users from addiction, bullying, and potential risks to their mental and physical health.
Indonesia also began imposing a ban on the use of social media for children under the age of 16 in March.
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