Research Proposal

This online research wiki explores the impacts of the implementation of the Law No. 11/2008 on electronic and information transactions, known in Indonesia as the ITE Law, on Internet users’ behavior in the country. The Indonesian government started to impose this law in 2008 as an effort to protect business transactions (Lim, 2013). Article 27 of the law, however, receives heavy criticism as it may criminalize those who defame others on the Internet.

Lim (2013) said that there was no clear definition of defamation; therefore, this might lead to multiple interpretations. Moreover, the law could hamper freedom speech online and could be potentially used against certain individuals who express their thoughts on the Internet, including the social media network.

Indonesians themselves have enjoyed freedom of speech after Soeharto, the second Indonesian president who was in the office for around 32 years, stepped down in 1998 (Wiratraman, 2010). Under the Soeharto era, the government imposed censorship and repression of information. The issuance of the 2008 ITE Law is seen as a new form of repression that threatens freedom of speech of more than 88 million of Internet users in Indonesia as the law sanctions violators to up to six years imprisonment and a fine.

The aim of the study is also to identify the impact of the banning of some websites due to “inappropriate” online content. The banned websites include video-sharing website Vimeo and social networking and news website Reddit, on the Internet users behavior in Indonesia.

This study will add some perspectives on whether the issuance of the 2008 Electronic and Information Law and the ban of some websites have hampered their freedom of expression online. Through this study, members of the audience are encouraged to comment in this wiki about these issues.