August 3, 2026 | 07:05 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs has issued a first warning letter to YouTube after authorities found a livestream promoting electronic cigarettes, or vapes, that featured children.
Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid said on Sunday that exploiting children to promote products that are not intended for them constitutes a serious violation and will not be tolerated.
“Children must be protected from all forms of exploitation in the digital space. Content involving children in the promotion of vape products clearly contradicts the principles of child protection and has no place on digital platforms,” she said.
The warning letter is part of the government's enforcement mechanism to ensure that private electronic system operators comply with Indonesia's regulations governing digital platforms, the minister said.
The ministry asked YouTube to immediately review and remove or take appropriate action against the content, as well as provide clarification on the measures it has taken and plans to take in response.
It also called on the platform to strengthen its proactive content moderation system to detect and address content that may violate child protection principles in the digital space, including the promotion of electronic cigarettes (vapes).
The platform is also expected to improve the speed of its response to similar content and ensure that its age verification and age restriction mechanisms operate effectively.
“We expect platforms to act swiftly. The digital space must not become a place where children are exploited to promote products that could harm their health,” Meutia said.
The ministry gave YouTube three days to respond to the warning. Failure to comply could result in administrative sanctions under Indonesian law, ranging from written warnings and fines to the temporary suspension of services or the blocking of access to the electronic system.
“The government prioritizes guidance and compliance. However, if platforms fail to fulfill their obligation to moderate content that violates the rules, we will not hesitate to enforce the applicable regulations,” the minister said.
The ministry said it would continue to strengthen oversight of digital content that could endanger children and ensure that electronic system operators fulfill their content moderation responsibilities.
“Protecting children in the digital space is a government priority that requires the shared commitment of digital platforms, content creators, parents, and society as a whole,” she added.
Read: Why Indonesia's BNN Proposed a Total Vape Ban
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