Social Media Activists And Activists Push For The Revised ITE Law

ILLUSTRATION / UNSPLASH

JAKARTA - A number of sources from activists and social media activists who were invited by the Research Team for the Law on Information and Electronic Transactions (UU ITE) said it was important to revise this law.

Because, since its inception, it has caused many polemics in the community.

Even so, the founder of Drone Emprit, Ismail Fahmi, said that there were doubts among social media users regarding the implementation of the revision of the ITE Law which is still being discussed until now.

Ismail is one of dozens of sources from social media activists who were called the ITE Law Study Team which was initiated by the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Kemenko Polhukam).

When presenting his explanation with the study team, Ismail said, from the analysis on social media, the public responded quite well to the government's plan to revise the law. Even so, public doubts arose whether or not the revision would be made.

"This is a challenge for the government to seriously follow up on the president's statement, not only by making implementation guidelines, but with revisions such as input from many parties," said Ismail Fahmi in a written statement from the ITE Law Study Team of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Wednesday, March 10.

The request for a revision of the ITE Law was also expressed by the Executive Director of SAFEnet, Damar Juniarto. According to him, the revision of the ITE Law needs to be carried out to protect the digital rights of citizens because the rules contained in the current ITE Law do not yet provide a sense of justice downstream.

Damar also said that many problems were found due to the ITE Law which has many rubber articles.

"Based on CSIS research, the ITE Law in its journey has caused unwanted consequences, namely social impacts with the widening deterrent effect, and is used for revenge, bartering cases, shock therapy, silencing criticism and persecution. Meanwhile, in politics, politicians and the authorities use the ITE Law. to bring down his opponents, "he said.

Another resource person at the meeting, namely the artist and social media activist, Deddy Corbuzier, also expressed his concern and told how his experience was almost three times being charged by the ITE Law. Thus, he called the articles in this law absurd and funny in their implementation.

"The ITE Law has a good purpose but in its implementation it is a little funny. The reason is a bit absurd. I was examined three times by the ITE Law. But fortunately it still passed," said Deddy.

Responding to all of the input, the Head of the ITE Law Study Team, Sugeng Purnomo, said that all suggestions and input from resource persons would be collected and made part of the team's report. Furthermore, the report will be submitted to Mahfud MD.

"Input in the discussion is very useful for sub-team one and sub-team two in compiling a study that is part of the team's paripuna report," he said.

It is known, the forum group discussion (FGD) this time is divided into two sessions. In the first session, the speakers were Damar Juniarto, Executive Director of Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet), Remy Hastian, BEM SI Central Coordinator, Social media activist Deddy Corbuzier, Savic Ali NU Youth Leaders, Anita Wahid Presidium of Indonesian Anti-Defamation Society (Mafindo) , Ismail Hasani Executive Director of the Setara Institute, and Andreas N Marbun, a researcher of the Indonesian Judicial Research Society (IJRS).

Meanwhile, the second session of the FGD was attended by Ismail Fahmi, Founder of Drone Emprit, Erasmus Napitupulu, Executive Director of the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR), Usman Hamid Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Wahyudi Djafar, Research Institute for Community Studies and Advocacy (ELSAM), social media activist Ferdinand Hutahaean and Jane Aileen, researchers from the Institute for Research and Advocacy for the Independence of the Judiciary (LeIP) and Teddy Sukardi.

Furthermore, the ITE Law Study Team will again hold discussions on Wednesday, March 10 or today. The team formed by Mahfud MD will present speakers from the media element. A number of media associations confirmed to be present include the Indonesian Cyber Media Association (AMSI), the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI) and LBH Pers.