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An action as raising a black flag is free speech in a democracy...
Digital Desk: The Kerala High Court
Indonesia has blocked Yahoo, PayPal, and several gaming websites for failing to comply with licencing requirements.
Digital Desk: With data showing that many major tech companies, including Google and Meta, had not complied by the deadline of July 20, Indonesia urged tech companies on Monday to register under the new licencing rules or risk having their platforms blocked.
The registration requirement is part of a set of regulations that will allow authorities to order platforms to remove content that is deemed illegal or that "disturbs public order" within four hours if considered urgently and within twenty-four hours if not. The regulations were first released in November 2020.
Communications Minister Johnny G. Plate urged businesses to register before sanctions were imposed. Last month, his ministry warned that platforms could be shut down if they disobeyed.
According to data from the communications ministry, as of Monday, more than 5,900 domestic companies and 108 foreign companies, including the short-video app TikTok and the music streaming company Spotify (SPOT.N), had registered.
Other platforms, including those owned by Meta Platforms Inc (META.O), which operates Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, as well as Alphabet Inc's Google (GOOGL.O), Twitter (TWTR.N), and others, have not yet registered.
Requests for comment from Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Google spokespeople went unanswered.
All domestic and international electronic service operators must adhere to the new licencing requirements.
If requested by law enforcement or government organisations, the government may also compel companies to disclose the communications and personal information of particular users.
The purpose of the new regulations, according to the government, is to guarantee that internet service providers safeguard consumer data and that online content is used "positively and productively."
Despite the threat, some analysts are sceptical that Indonesian authorities will immediately shut down non-compliant companies' platforms, particularly in light of the fact that some of these platforms are widely used in Indonesia, including by government officials.
With 270 million young, tech-savvy people, Indonesia ranks among the top 10 markets worldwide for the number of users of a variety of social media platforms, including TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.
The new content-related articles, according to some activists, threaten both privacy and the right to free speech.
Nenden Arum of the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network, a digital rights organisation, stated, "Our analysis shows that this will be the most repressive regulation of its kind in the region" (SafeNet).
According to Minister Plate, the registration requirement is purely administrative and has nothing to do with content.
As of February 2022, Statista estimated that 191 million people used social media in Indonesia. In the Asia-Pacific region, only China and India have more users of social media.
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