Kominfo Blocks Telegram Applications In Today's Memory, July 14, 2017

The appearance of the instant messaging application, Telegram. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA Memories of today, seven years ago, July 14, 2017, the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kominfo) blocked access to the instant messaging application, Telegram. The option was made because telegram did not have good faith in limiting content related to radicalism and terrorism.

Previously, Kominfo found a lot of content on the Telegram channel which contradicts the Law in Indonesia. The power of attorney then repeatedly wrote to the telegram. Kominfo asked to block negative content and not be heeded.

The general causation that one of the safest instant messaging applications is Telegram. The application makes many people free to express themselves. However, Kominfo is starting to be curious. They consider where there is freedom to be suspected.

Kominfo then monitors the channels on Telegram. The result surprised a lot of content that contradicted the (UU) law in Indonesia. Kominfo not only found one or two content. The owner of power actually found 55 Telegram channels with thousands of content indicated radicalism and terrorism.

The content is easily accessible and rampant on telegram. In fact, the content is considered to be able to damage the nation's next generation and foster radicalism in the archipelago. Kominfo also tried to have good faith by contacting Telegram.

They asked Telegram to respond to Kominfo complaints regarding negative content. The hope is that the content will be deleted soon and the channel will be destroyed. It's far from wild. Kominfo contacted telegram many times while waiting for Telegram's good faith.

Efforts to contact Telegram have been carried out six times from March 29, 2016 to July 11, 2017. The power of attorney still hopes that Telegram will work together to provide a safe and comfortable space to socialize.

Instead of becoming a safe forum for those who have the potential to divide the Indonesian nation. Kominfo is starting to think about blocking options.

"Currently we are also preparing the process of closing the Telegram application thoroughly in Indonesia. If Telegram does not prepare Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling content that violates the law in their application. This step is taken as an effort to maintain the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI)," said Director General of Informatics Applications (Dirjen Aptika), Ministry of Communication and Information, Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan quoted on the sec.com page, 17 July 2017.

Kominfo is furious. Telegram never considered it. Blocking was carried out on July 14, 2017. Kominfo ordered internet service providers, or ISPs to block 11 DNS website-based telegram services. The decision made Kominfo criticized by Telegram users.

Most Telegram users are targeting the security offered. Talegram is their choice to share news and others. However, Kominfo does not care. Blocking efforts are still being carried out until Telegram responds to the government's wishes.

The Ministry of Communication and Information on July 14, 2017, has asked theInternet Service Provider (ISP) to cut off access (blocking) to Telegram's elevenDomain Name System (DNS). This blocking must be done because many channels in the service are charged with propaganda radicalism, terrorism, understanding of hatred, invitations or how to assemble bombs, how to carry out attacks, disturbing images, and others that are contrary to laws and regulations in Indonesia..

As for the 11 DNS that are blocked as follows: t.me, telegram.me, telegram.org, core.telegram.org, desktop.telegram.org, macos.telegram.org, web.telegram.org, venus.web.telegram.org, pluto.web.telegram.org, flora.web.telegram.org, and flora-1.web.telegram.org. The impact on this blocking is the non-accessibility of web version of Telegram services (unaccessible via computer)," said a written statement in a Kominfo press release as quoted by kominfo.go.id page, July 14, 2017.