Indonesia will impose interim child protection guidelines on social media companies while the government carves out a law to set a minimum age for users of the platforms, a senior communications ministry official said on Wednesday.

Indonesia intends to implement interim child protection guidelines for social media companies, amid efforts to legislate a minimum age for users. This follows Australia's lead in safeguarding minors online and aims to balance protection with access to information for underage internet users.

Indonesia intends to issue a regulation to set a minimum age for social media users, a move aimed at protecting children, Reuters reported citing the country's communications minister. Minister Meutya Hafid did not disclose what the minimum age would be in Indonesia.

A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on Saturday, spewing hot lava and releasing a column of smoke and ash four kilometres (3.1 miles) into the air, an official said.

This is the spectacular moment the Mount Ibu volcano erupted, sending a towering column of ash skywards in Indonesia today. Footage shows thick grey smoke billowing thousands of feet into the air, leaning towards the west and northwest in West Halmahera Regency,