Southeast Asia wants children off social media. Will it work?

Malaysian comedian Rizal van Geyzel keeps his three children – aged six, 14 and 15 – off social media. He calls it a “gateway drug” to fake news, pornography, stalkers and doom-scrolling.

“Do I risk them resenting me? Sure, but these are the sacrifices of parents for their children’s mental health and physical safety,” the 43-year-old said.

But as the bans spread, an uncomfortable question follows close behind: can governments actually make them work?

All digital platforms operating in the country have been instructed to comply with the ban, which kicked in on March 28, according to Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid. Implementation would be carried out progressively, with “no compromise on compliance”, she said.