Indonesia Must Reject The Submission Of Personal Data To The United States In Order To Maintain Digital Sovereignty

JAKARTA In the midst of discussions over a number of trade agreements between Indonesia and the United States, there have been concerns among technology observers and consumer protection regarding the potential for the submission of Indonesian citizens' personal data to the government or business entities in the United States. This concern is not without basis, considering that in the digital era as it is today, personal data is a strategic asset that has very high political, economic and security values.

Personal data is not just about identity information such as name, address, or phone number. More than that, data includes consumer behavior, location, social media interactions, political preferences, and biometrics. If this data is in the hands of foreign parties, then control over the behavior of Indonesian people indirectly lies abroad. This is a form of new digital colonialism that is very subtle but very dangerous. The state should not allow this to happen, because it involves the basic rights of citizens and national sovereignty.

Indonesia actually already has a legal device that clearly prohibits the misuse of personal data. The Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE) Article 26 paragraph (1) confirms that the use of personal data through electronic media must have the permission of the data owner.

In addition, Article 32 paragraphs (1) to (3) also regulates the prohibition of moving or distributing personal data belonging to other people without rights. In fact, the Personal Data Protection Law (UU PDP) No. 27 of 2022 which was ratified in 2022 became a broader and comprehensive legal umbrella, covering the entire data processing cycle, from collection, storage, to distribution.

In that context, if the Indonesian government really approves a clause that allows people's personal data to be submitted to foreign parties, then it is a serious form of violation of the law. In addition to violating the ITE Law and the PDP Law, this step also injures public trust and can cause social turmoil. The public has the right to know where the data goes, for what it is used, and who manages it.

The United States will clearly benefit if it gets access to Indonesian population data. This data can be used by large US technology companies to expand their dominance in the Indonesian digital market.

In addition, data can also be used for the development of artificial intelligence (AI), marketing strategies, and even the potential for supervision of the social-political direction of the Indonesian people. Meanwhile, the benefits that Indonesia gets from this scheme are very incomparable, especially if it is only in the form of investment promises or digital infrastructure assistance that is short-term.

Indonesian society will be the most disadvantaged party. They lost control of their personal data, and eventually became the object of commercialization or even digital manipulation by outsiders. Furthermore, this will also create a dependence on foreign technology, which weakens the nation's ability to build its own digital sovereignty.

The Indonesian government must be firm and transparent. Every international cooperation related to personal data must be disclosed to the public, involve supervision from independent institutions, and ensure that no violations of national laws have been passed. Digital security is part of national security. Protecting people's personal data is a tangible form of maintaining state sovereignty.

In the midst of the swift current of digital globalization, the Indonesian nation must not give up and leave the control of information on its people to outsiders. An independent country in the real world must also be independent in cyberspace. If the government is negligent, then the public must speak up. Because our data belongs to us, not to be traded.