TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) assessed that the internet in Indonesia is not child-friendly yet since cigarette advertisements could easily be accessed and seen by children.

“One of the indicators of a child-friendly regency/city is there is no commercial, promotion, and sponsor about cigarettes. When those still exist, it means the internet in Indonesia is not child-friendly yet,” said the ministry's child growth department deputy Lenny N. Rosalin when reached in Jakarta, Sunday, June 23.

The PPPA Ministry is currently striving to provide safe online network for kids. One of its measures is to educate related parties concerning child protection. Press Council as encouraged by the ministry, she added, has also issued a regulation on guidelines for child-safe news.

“Media that is still advertising cigarette products cannot be said as a child-friendly media. On the other side, it is also necessary to educate children as media users about access to information that worth to consume,” she added.

Lenny said that her ministry principally supports the blockage in cigarette advertisements because such commercials can be easily viewed and accessed by children.

Health Minister Nila Moeloek earlier stated the government’s seriousness in blocking cigarette ads in social media in a bid to prevent the hike in the number of young smoker targeting children.

“We have shut down 114 ads, but we have to coordinate with the Health Ministry. We will resume it later,” she said in a written statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 18.

According to the minister, Indonesia has no regulation on the restriction of cigarette ads on social media. Thus, the Health Ministry and Communication and Informatics Ministry are still canvassing the matter.

ANTARA