PKB Proposes Information Ethics Bill To Control Hoaxes And Buzzers

Vice Chairman of DPP PKB Jazilul Fawaid (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The National Awakening Party (PKB) agrees with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) 's proposal to revise Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions (UU ITE).

Apart from that, the party also proposed submitting a draft of a new bill which regulates the control over false information and buzzer accounts that often spread slander.

"In my opinion, it would be great if a draft of a new bill specifically on ethics of information was submitted, which could curb false information, fake accounts and even robotic fake buzzers with the instincts of hoax, slander, hate speech, threats and racism," said Deputy Chairman of the PKB DPP Jazilul Fawaid. in a written statement to journalists quoted Wednesday, February 17.

The reason PKB agrees with the revision of this law is due to its original philosophy and purpose related to electronic transactions, not hate speech.

Jazilul also said that the rubber articles contained in the ITE Law were actually the result of revisions which were still partial, multi-interpretative and easily diverted. So it needs to be clarified, especially in the articles related to defamation.

"The article on rubber, one of which is related to defamation, threats and others, needs to clarify its definition and boundaries," said the deputy chairman of the MPR RI.

Not only the ITE Law, Jazilul also assessed that today's society also needs rules that regulate ethics, awareness and order in using information networks and social media.

Previously, President Jokowi was aware of the emergence of discussions about criticism that led to criminal charges, aka reporting to the police. Jokowi asked the National Police Chief, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, to carefully handle the ITE Law report.

If the ITE Law is deemed not to provide a sense of justice, Jokowi also guarantees that he will propose a revision of the law which many consider to restrict freedom of expression.

"If the ITE Law cannot provide a sense of justice, yes, I will ask the DPR to jointly revise this law. This ITE Law. Because this is the upstream. The upstream is here… revision, ”said Jokowi in a statement via the Presidential Secretariat YouTube, Monday, February 15.

"Especially removing the rubber articles which can be interpreted differently. Which is easy to interpret unilaterally, "said Jokowi.