Indonesia's Internet Governance Law Shows a Tendency Towards Citizen Control

The Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) and the Indonesian Center for Law and Policy Studies (PSHK) have mapped the orientation of internet governance regulations in Indonesia.

The analysis covers 13 laws containing articles related to internet governance and digital rights protection. A total of 153 provisions related to internet governance were identified in these laws.

SAFEnet and PSHK found that 52.3% or 80 provisions regulate aspects of digital protection and security. Furthermore, 33.3% or 51 provisions regulate aspects of the internet itself. Only 14.4% or 22 provisions regulate aspects of freedom.

These findings indicate that the internet governance regulations scattered across the 13 laws have a protectionist tendency (protection heavy).

“This means the state has a tendency to control citizens' activities in the digital space,” SAFEnet and PSHK wrote in Digital Rights for Democracy and Civic Space: A Mapping Study of Internet Regulations in Indonesia.

According to SAFEnet and PSHK, this paradigm is reinforced by the minimal guarantees of freedom found in the laws analyzed. Guarantees of freedom were only found in 9 of the 13 laws.

The 13 laws analyzed by SAFEnet and PSHK are:

1. Personal Data Protection Law
2. Law on Information and Electronic Transactions
3. Law on the Development and Strengthening of the Financial Sector
4. Pornography Law
5. Copyright Law
6. Criminal Code
7. Law on Sexual Violence Crimes
8. General Election Law
9. Press Law
10. Regional Head Election Law
11. Public Information Disclosure Law
12. Consumer Protection Law
13. Law on the Formation of Legislation.