Legal Analysis Regarding The Implementation of The Indonesian Game Rating System (IGRS) in The Protection of Child Consumers in Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38035/jlph.v6i5.3554Keywords:
Video Games, Indonesian Game Rating System, Perlindungan KonsumenAbstract
This study examines the implementation of the Indonesian Game Rating System (IGRS) within Indonesia's legal framework, focusing on child consumer protection in the digital gaming industry. Indonesia's rapidly expanding gaming market indeed generated economic benefits, but on the other hand, exposing children to age-inappropriate content at the same time. The Government responded by establishing the IGRS, a classification system based on age suitability and content descriptors, most recently revised through Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Regulation No. 2 of 2024. Employing a normative legal method with statutory and conceptual approaches, this study analyzes relevant legislation, ministerial regulations, legal doctrine, and documented enforcement cases through descriptive-qualitative and teleological interpretation. The findings reveal that the IGRS remains structurally incomplete: it lacks a Government Regulation establishing binding enforcement, exhibits weak harmonization with Law No. 8 of 1999 on Consumer Protection, and relies on a self-classification model whose reliability was exposed by the 2026 Steam controversy. Enforcement in practice remains reactive, with no dedicated complaint mechanism for child consumers or their guardians. The study concludes that the IGRS has not yet achieved optimal legal protection for child consumers and recommends a comprehensive Government Regulation, an independent supervisory body, and accessible consumer redress mechanisms to strengthen Indonesia's digital game governance framework.
References
Allcorrect Games. (2023). The gaming market in Indonesia. https://allcorrectgames.com/insights/the-gaming-market-in-indonesia/
Almaida, Z., & Imanullah, M. N. (2021). Perlindungan hukum preventif dan represif bagi pengguna uang elektronik dalam melakukan transaksi tol nontunai. Jurnal Privat Law, 9(1), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.20961/privat.v9i1.28858
Andikatama, A. Z., & Turisno, B. E. (2024). Consumer protection law in the digital era. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 7(7), 4552–4558. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v7-i07-03
Arifin, R., Kambuno, J. A., Waspiah, & Latifiani, D. (2021). Protecting the consumer rights in the digital economic era: Future challenges in Indonesia. Jambura Law Review, 3, 135–160. https://doi.org/10.33756/jlr.v3i0.9635
Astariyani, N. L. G., Hattori, M., & Hanum, W. N. (2024). The validity of sanctions arrangements in regional regulations. Journal of Human Rights, Culture and Legal System, 4(3), 682–705. https://doi.org/10.53955/jhcls.v4i3.313
Azam, K. E. (2023). "That's PEGI, the American system!": Perceptions of video game age ratings among families in Norway. Media, Culture & Society, 45(6), 1156–1174. https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437231155340
Budiartha, I., Bahri, M., & Ujianti, N. (2021). Perlindungan hukum konsumen atas informasi harga pada produk minuman. Jurnal Konstruksi Hukum, 2(3), 645–649. https://doi.org/10.22225/jkh.2.3.3629.645-649
CNBC Indonesia. (2023, July 20). Judi online makin parah di RI, Kominfo blokir 846 ribu situs! https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/tech/20230720114928-37-455830/judi-online-makin-parah-di-ri-kominfo-blokir-846-ribu-situs
Duffy, S., & Derevensky, J. (2022). Helping parents understand the content of video games: Updating the ESRB rating system. Journal of Children and Media, 16(4), 606–612. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2022.2124696
Dogruel, L., & Joeckel, S. (2013). Video game rating systems in the US and Europe: Comparing their outcomes. International Communication Gazette, 75(7), 672–692. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048513482539
Felini, D. (2015). Beyond today's video game rating systems: A critical approach to PEGI and ESRB, and proposed improvements. Games and Culture, 10(1), 106–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412014560192
Hollett, R., Tomkinson, S., Illingworth, S., Power, B., & Harper, T. (2022). Evidence that digital game players neglect age classification systems when deciding which games to play. PLOS ONE, 17(2), e0263560. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263560
Khorsandi, A., & Li, L. (2022). A multi-analysis of children and adolescents' video gaming addiction with the AHP and TOPSIS methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9680. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159680
Kompas.com. (2026, April 6). Komdigi minta klarifikasi Steam soal rating game IGRS yang janggal. https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2026/04/06/12054847/komdigi-minta-klarifikasi-steam-soal-rating-game-igrs-yang-janggal
Liputan6.com. (2026, April 6). Rating IGRS di Steam bikin heboh, Komdigi sebut belum diverifikasi resmi. https://www.liputan6.com/tekno/read/6310546/rating-igrs-di-steam-bikin-heboh-komdigi-sebut-belum-diverifikasi-resmi
Marzuki, P. M. (2017). Penelitian hukum: Edisi revisi. Prenadamedia Group.
Masturi. (2025). Tantangan dan peran hukum perlindungan konsumen pada era ekonomi digital. Soedirman Law Review, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.20884/1.slr.2025.7.1.16095
Mau, H. A. (2025). Consumer legal protection in the digital era: Indonesia and the European Union. SASI, 31(4), 326–343. https://doi.org/10.47268/sasi.v31i4.2802
Novita, Y. D., & Santoso, B. (2021). Urgensi pembaharuan regulasi perlindungan konsumen di era bisnis digital. Jurnal Pembangunan Hukum Indonesia, 3(1), 46–58. https://doi.org/10.14710/jphi.v3i1.46-58
Nugraha, R. (2021). Perspektif hukum Indonesia (cyberlaw) penanganan kasus cyber di Indonesia. Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum Dirgantara, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.35968/jihd.v11i2.767
Mohammad, S., Jan, R. A., & Alsaedi, S. L. (2023). Symptoms, Mechanisms, and Treatments of Video Game Addiction. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.36957
Peraturan Menteri Komunikasi dan Informatika Nomor 11 Tahun 2016 tentang Klasifikasi Permainan Interaktif Elektronik.
Peraturan Menteri Komunikasi dan Digital Nomor 2 Tahun 2024 tentang Klasifikasi Game.
Prayuti, Y. (2024). Dinamika perlindungan hukum konsumen di era digital: Analisis hukum terhadap praktik e-commerce dan perlindungan data konsumen di Indonesia. Jurnal Interpretasi Hukum, 5(1), 903–913. https://doi.org/10.22225/juinhum.5.1.8482.903-913
Rajah & Tann Asia. (2025, November 26). From law to action: Introducing the Indonesia Game Rating System (IGRS). https://www.rajahtannasia.com/viewpoints/from-law-to-action-introducing-the-indonesia-game-rating-system-igrs/
Readers.id. (2026a, April 5). Kemenkominfo perketat IGRS, game berkonten terlarang berisiko diblokir. https://www.readers.id/kemenkominfo-perketat-igrs-game-dilarang
Readers.id. (2026b, April 7). Steam hapus rating IGRS setelah kontroversi klasifikasi game di Indonesia. https://www.readers.id/steam-hapus-rating-igrs-klasifikasi-game
Rykała, P. (2020). The growth of the gaming industry in the context of creative industries. Biblioteka Regionalisty, 2020(20), 124–136. https://doi.org/10.15611/br.2020.1.10
SSEK Law Firm. (2025, December 5). Pathways toward enhanced child safety in the digital gaming ecosystem: The Indonesian Game Rating System framework. https://www.ssek.com/blog/pathways-toward-enhanced-child-safety-in-the-digital-gaming-ecosystem-the-indonesian-game-rating-system-framework/
Sundari, N., Luthfiyah, F. Z., & Rahmawati, W. (2024). Peran hukum sebagai alat rekayasa masyarakat menurut Roscoe Pound. Das Sollen: Jurnal Kajian Kontemporer Hukum dan Masyarakat, 2(01). https://journal.forikami.com/index.php/dassollen/article/view/566
UMJ. (2026, April 7). Rating IGRS di Steam disorot - Komdigi tegaskan bukan klasifikasi resmi. https://umj.ac.id/just_info/rating-igrs-di-steam-disorot-komdigi-tegaskan-bukan-klasifikasi-resmi/
Undang-Undang Nomor 8 Tahun 1999 tentang Perlindungan Konsumen (Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1999 Nomor 42).
Undang-Undang Nomor 12 Tahun 2011 tentang Pembentukan Peraturan Perundang-undangan (Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2011 Nomor 82).
Undang-Undang Nomor 19 Tahun 2016 tentang Perubahan atas Undang-Undang Nomor 11 Tahun 2008 tentang Informasi dan Transaksi Elektronik (Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2016 Nomor 251).
Undang-Undang Nomor 35 Tahun 2014 tentang Perubahan atas Undang-Undang Nomor 23 Tahun 2002 tentang Perlindungan Anak (Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2014 Nomor 297).
Undang-Undang Nomor 44 Tahun 2008 tentang Pornografi (Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2008 Nomor 181).
VOA Indonesia. (2023, July 22). Judi online makin marak, Kominfo blokir 846 ribu situs. https://www.voaindonesia.com/a/judi-online-makin-marak-kominfo-blokir-846-ribu-situs/7191633.html
Wahyudi, I., Budiartha, I., & Ujianti, N. (2022). Perlindungan hukum terhadap konsumen akibat cacat produk pada saat produksi ditinjau dari Undang-Undang No. 8 Tahun 1999. Jurnal Interpretasi Hukum, 3(1), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.22225/juinhum.3.1.4644.89-94
World Health Organization. (2019). International classification of diseases for mortality and morbidity statistics (11th revision). https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en
Xiao, L. Y., Henderson, L. L., & Newall, P. W. S. (2023). What are the odds? Poor compliance with UK loot box probability disclosure industry self-regulation. PLoS ONE, 18(9 September). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286681
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Achmad Hanif Avicenna Setiady, Andriyanto Adhi Nugroho
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish their manuscripts in this journal agree to the following conditions:
- The copyright on each article belongs to the author(s).
- The author acknowledges that the Journal of Law, Poliitic and Humanities (JLPH) has the right to be the first to publish with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
- Authors can submit articles separately, arrange for the non-exclusive distribution of manuscripts that have been published in this journal into other versions (e.g., sent to the author's institutional repository, publication into books, etc.), by acknowledging that the manuscript has been published for the first time in the Journal of Law, Poliitic and Humanities (JLPH).
