Indonesia will revise negative content censorship rules

JAKARTA (IndoTelko) - Government is finalizing the revision of technical rules regarding censorship of negative content in internet cyberspace. So far, technical rules of censorship or content blocking in cyberspace is relying Regulation from the Minister of Communications and Information Technology (Permenkominfo) No. 19 of 2014 on Handling Negative Internet Sites.

"We are in a rush of finalizing the revision of this rule. I Hope we can finish it by the end of this year, before we start using censorship engine in early 2018," said Director General of Telematics App, Ministry of Communications and Informatics, Semuel A, Pangerapan.

On the rules stated that ministry or government agency may block internet sites which contains negative content, such as pornography, hate speech, terorism, etc, according to their authority. The lists  of negative content websites will be compiled by Kominfo inside Trust+Positive. Citizens can participate by reporting the negative content websites to Kominfo to be included in Trust+Positif lists.

To block it, Internet Service Provider (ISP) is required to take an active role. There are sanctions awaits if they didn't do the blocking.'

Semmy said, government has an obligation to filter and block the negative content which violates rules in Indonesia. In articel 40 on the rule is said, government has an obligation to prevent the dissemination and the use of electronic information which has a prohibited content. The prevention granting the government authority to conduct access or ordering electronic system providers to terminate access.

"It was clear on the rules. Now in the revision, we want to clarify the details so there be no more controversy," he said.

Semmy, who was the chairman of the Association of Indonesia Internet Service Providers (APJII), few things that will be more clarified in the revision is regarding the procedure of blocking, procedure to communicate with the ISP, normalization process, and among others.

"Most certain is regarding definition about violated content. It will be more clarified," Semmy said.(es)