Jakarta, Sept. 30 -- More than a third of Indonesian teenagers suffer from loneliness linked to excessive gadget use, the country's population and family planning chief said on Tuesday, urging families to rebuild direct communication.

Minister of Population and Family Development and Head of the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) Wihaji said around 68 million Indonesians aged 10 to 24 are at risk, with nearly one in three feeling isolated as digital devices dominate their daily lives.

He said many children are not truly heard in conversations, while in some families mobile phones act like a "new member" commanding attention over human interaction.

One in four teenagers has experienced stress affecting mental health d...