The Communications and Information Ministry has warned WhatsApp that it will ban the popular messaging service in the country if it refuses to remove lewd GIF images from its platform.

Messages went viral on social media on Sunday, drawing attention to the presence of such animated images on the Whatsapp platform. This has prompted concerns, mainly from members of the public, who fear that those pornographic images could be viewed by children.

The ministry reacted quickly and said in a press conference on Monday that WhatsApp could end up with a fate similar to mobile messaging Telegram, which saw its web service temporarily banned in July over allegations of terrorist content.

“WhatsApp cannot escape its responsibility. It should clean or block [the images],” the ministry’s information application director general, Samuel Abrijani Pangerapan, said.

“I...