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Government set to introduce fines against ‘errant’ Big Tech
Two ministries are setting up an administrative sanctions system to complement the government's power to block access to digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with it on online content moderation.
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Communications and Information Ministry director general for applications and informatics Semuel Pangerapan speaks at a ministry event in August 2019. (Courtesy of Kominfo/-)
T
he government is preparing to introduce fines for digital platforms that refuse to take down content it deems unlawful, stoking fears of increased censorship as the state seeks to reign in Big Tech.
The push to regulate the digital sphere, ostensibly to combat rampant misinformation in the country, comes as cyber protection policies for the individual languish in the legislature.
Data theft has affected a number of state institutions and corporations in recent years. The stolen personal information is often sold clandestinely and victims are left with few options for redress.
Meanwhile, governments around the world have begun to draft laws to bridle Big Tech companies, which have been accused enabling dangerous content. Indonesia, for one, is strengthening state censorship powers, including the authority to dole out fines.
The Communications and Information Ministry and the Finance Ministry are finalizing a government regulation (PP) on non-tax state revenue that is expected to solidify state authority to censor online content.
Semuel Pangerapan, the communication ministry’s director general for applications and informatics, said the regulation would include a system for calculating fines for online content violations.
“The point of all these regulations is that it is our way of keeping our digital spaces tenable, so that we can focus on their benefits,” Semuel told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
