Google and YouTube have launched a new Digital Wellbeing Guidebook to address concerns about teen mental health in online spaces. The guide is aimed at families and school communities in Indonesia, with a clear focus on practical support for parents and educators.
The initiative is also designed to support the work of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, known as Komdigi. It arrives as a broader effort to help adults manage the digital risks teenagers face without cutting them off from online learning and communication.
A bridge between policy and home life
Celeste Campbell-Pitt, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy at YouTube APAC, said YouTube has become a resource that supports continuous learning in Indonesia. She made the remarks at the #AKSIDIGITAL event, Ruang Tumbuh Keluarga Indonesia, in Jakarta.
She also framed the company’s approach as protection through access rather than restriction. “We aim to protect them in the digital world, not from the digital world,” she said.
The guidebook was developed with input from the Indonesian Psychiatric Association (PDSKJI), Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM), and the University of Indonesia. Komdigi also took part in the process to help simplify complex psychological challenges into guidance that families can actually use.
That collaboration is meant to make the document more than a policy statement. It is intended to give households a clearer way to respond when teenagers encounter online pressures, distress, or unhealthy digital habits.
Training for teachers and parents
The launch is not limited to a booklet alone. As part of an ongoing pilot program, Google and YouTube have trained 2,500 guidance counselors to extend the guide’s use in schools and communities.
The training gives educators and parents locally adapted strategies that also fit cultural context. The focus includes cyberbullying, screen-time management, and the social pressures that often emerge in teenagers’ digital lives.
Campbell-Pitt compared the approach to helping a child learn to ride a bicycle. Families, she suggested, need more than the bicycle itself; they need a helmet, rules, and support until balance is found.
Safety tools built into YouTube
YouTube’s teen protection strategy also includes product tools meant to help parents set healthier boundaries. Among them are a Shorts viewing timer and customizable Bedtime Reminders designed to support screen-time limits.
These features are part of a wider effort to improve recommendations for teenagers. The platform says it is applying new quality principles so that more of the videos shown are entertaining, age-appropriate, and educational.
At the same time, YouTube is limiting recommendations for certain content that could be less helpful when watched repeatedly by some teens. The goal is to maintain a safer environment while preserving access to digital learning spaces.
Why YouTube matters in Indonesian education
Trust in the platform is also reflected in how widely it is used for learning. According to an Ipsos study released in August 2025, 89% of parents agreed that their children benefit from using YouTube for learning.
The same study found that 92% of parents believe YouTube makes education more accessible. It also showed that 82% of teachers surveyed said YouTube helps students understand complex lesson material.
In Indonesia, 96% of teachers now integrate YouTube into their assignments and teaching methods, according to the same data. That figure highlights the platform’s growing role as a digital classroom tool.
Support for PP Tunas and child protection efforts
The collaboration is also intended to support implementation of Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 on Child Protection in Electronic Systems, or PP Tunas. The government has welcomed the move as a way to strengthen child protection and national character in the digital era.
Komdigi said the program also includes support for the mental health of teenagers aged 13 to 16. It further covers educator training for educational content creation and cyber literacy work with ICT Watch to help prevent cyberbullying and gadget addiction.
Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid said the guidebook helps parents identify what to watch for in the digital space. Komdigi also praised YouTube for its commitment to helping raise Indonesian children into a generation that is smart, resilient, and wise in the digital age.