The Ministry Of Communication And Information Asks KPAI For Suggestions To Follow Up Complaints On Free Fire Games

Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi at the Ministry of Communication and Information, Jakarta, Tuesday (30/4/2024). (ANTARA/Livia Kristianti)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemenkominfo) is arranging a meeting with representatives of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) to ask for suggestions to follow up on complaints about Free Fire, which are considered to contain elements of violence and can have a negative impact on children.

Discussions with KPAI representatives are part of the Ministry of Communication and Information's efforts to complete the study before making a decision on the law.

"I want to discuss with KPAI, yes, I want to ask for his input, because we want the ecosystem to be healthy, right, so we have to study it," said Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, April 30.

Budi said the ministry needed an in-depth study to see the social impact of violent content in related games.

According to him, blocking games cannot necessarily be done because the ministry must also see the impact of policies on the game-connected ecosystem, such as the eskemesport ecosystem.

"Yes, it's the same as watching movies. The film 'Saksa Kubur' for example, because watching the film there was a friend of mine who immediately responded, but there was also a friend of mine who had watched the film more brutally. Then are those effects because of the film? That's my parable, that's why we need to make a more intensive study," he said.

KPAI on Friday (26/4) again voiced a request to the government to issue regulations to block online games that are not in accordance with the rules in an effort to protect children in the online realm.

"The role of the government is to make regulations and create technology to monitor and block online games that are not in accordance with the rules," said KPAI member Kawiyan.

Kawiyan said the game publisher met the regulations and transparently conveyed information about its products to the public.

According to him, online games and digital content containing elements of violence, deviant behavior, and gambling can be blocked according to the Regulation of the Minister of Communication and Information Technology Number 2 of 2024 concerning Game Classification.

"From these rules, it is clear that it can be (blocked) if it has an impact on the behavior of the children who take part in the game," said Kawiyan.