Internet Blocking Cases

There have been some web-blocking cases since 2008. Below are several high-profile web-blocking cases between 2008 and 2015.

Cases between 2008 and 2011

In 2008, the Communication and Information Ministry ordered 146 Internet service providers and 30 network access providers to block websites that featured a 15-minute anti-Islamic film titled Fitna . Fitna is a movie produced by Dutch filmmaker Geert Wilder which shows images of the 9/11 tragedy and the 2004 Madrid bombing, mixed with some quotes taken from the Koran.

The Ministry also ordered them to temporarily block video-sharing websites, such as YouTube, MySpace, Rapidshare, and Google Video, as part of its attempt to censor the film which has also sparked controversy worldwide. In Indonesia, the blocking took place until the film was removed from the aforementioned sites.

The move was heavily criticized by the press and some experts. The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), for instance, said that the move merely restricted the public their right to information. Indonesian media and political expertWimar Witoelar said the government’s decision was a way to suppress the freedom of speech of Indonesians. “Ninety-nine percent of YouTube users are visiting the site for productive purposes, not to watch Fitna,” Wimar said as quoted by Indonesia’s English daily newspaper The Jakarta Post.

The government has also imposed control over mobile internet content. In 2011, according to The Guardian’s interactivemap, the government forced Blackberry manufacturer Research in Motion to put pornography filters in its smartphones to comply with the 2008 Anti-Pornographic Law which criminalizes any sex-related material deemed to violate the morality of the nation.

Recent cases between 2014 and 2015

One of the most high-profile cases of Internet control is the ban of Vimeo in May 2014 due to “pornographic content.” The move was taken as part of the enforcement of the 2008 Anti-Pornography Law. Previous Minister of Communication and Information Tifatul Sembiring claimed that based on the ministry’s research, there were more than7,000 pieces of content with nudity on the site.

The ban drewcriticism from Indonesian Internet users and creative communities as the move shackled their freedom of expression. Moreover, the ban also affected people whose livelihoods depend on accessing to the video-sharing site. The affected people included journalists, filmmakers, and those who work in the marketing and advertising fields.

Vimeo asked the Indonesian government to reconsider the block, stating that it prohibits pornography and tries to remove it when it appears on the site. Current Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara said that he would lift the ban on the condition that the site had to abide by Indonesian law, including imposing a total ban on nudity and pornographic videos. As of early December 2015, Vimeo was still blocked.

Besides Vimeo, online forum Reddit were also blocked in the same year due to inappropriate content. The step was taken based on the ministerial decreeNo.19/2014 on the handling of inappropriate Internet content deemed to degrade public morality.

In the law, among the “negative” content categories are those involving privacy, child pornography, violence, religious issues, sexuality, and gender, such as lesbian, gay and transgender. In Indonesia, religious, sexuality, and gender issues are considered sensitive topics.

The law, however, does not clearly provide a precise definition or guidelines on such inappropriate content. The article specifically stipulates that a ban can only be imposed on websites containing pornography or illegal activities, without further defining those terms. Indonesia’s Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM ) said this website ban could violate the rights to information because there was no detailed definition.

Besides Vimeo and Reddit, do you know other websites that have been blocked by the Indonesian government due to their “inappropriate” content? If so, what are the websites? How long has the government banned the sites? Please leave your commente here.