Nurul Arifin: Beware, Candid Camera Can Lead to Privacy Violations

Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the Golkar Party Faction, Nurul Arifin (photo: ig @na-Nurularifin)

Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the Golkar Party Faction, Nurul Arifin, supports the steps of the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) which emphasizes the importance of protecting people's privacy in the digital space following the controversy over influencer content Emanuel Bryan or Bryan Ebem who recorded the usher with a candid camera at the GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2026 without consent.

According to Nurul, the development of social media has opened up a wide space for creativity. However, this freedom must still be accompanied by respect for the privacy rights of each individual.

"The digital space is not a space without rules. Freedom of expression must go hand in hand with respect for the right to privacy, dignity, and the sense of security of every citizen. Creativity should not be built on the exploitation of others who do not give consent," said Nurul Arifin in his statement, Thursday, (6/8).

He assessed that Komdigi's statement was an important reminder that every social media user, including influencers and content creators, has legal and moral responsibilities for published material.

"Komdigi has given a clear signal that the protection of personal data and digital ethics is an important foundation in building a healthy digital ecosystem. I fully support this step as part of efforts to provide a safe digital space for all people," he said.

Nurul said the case involving the usher at GIIAS was a lesson that content created for the sake of pursuing popularity and economic benefits should not ignore the rights of others.

"When someone is recorded, their identity is displayed, then the content is disseminated to gain public attention or certain benefits without proper consent, then the issue is no longer just ethics, but also concerns respect for individual rights guaranteed by law," he said.

As a member of the DPR Commission I which deals with communication, information, and digital transformation, Nurul also reminded that Law Number 27 of 2022 concerning the Protection of Personal Data has provided a legal basis for the public to obtain protection for their personal data, including data that can identify a person.

The member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from West Java District 1 emphasized that law enforcement must still be carried out proportionally based on facts and provisions of applicable laws and regulations.

"We must provide legal certainty as well as education. Don't let the public think that as long as they are in a public space, anyone is free to record, exploit, and then disseminate the identity of others without considering the impact. The principle of caution and respect for the rights of others must be our digital culture," he said.

Nurul also appreciated the steps of social media platforms that have started to tighten policies on content that records or exploits others without consent. According to him, collaboration between the government, digital platforms, law enforcement, and the community is the key to creating a more responsible digital ecosystem.

"We want the Indonesian digital space to be a productive, creative, and civilized space. All parties have a responsibility to maintain this ecosystem so that it remains healthy and safe, especially for women, workers, and vulnerable groups of society who are targets of content exploitation," said Nurul.

The case of Bryan Ebem surfaced after an usher at GIIAS admitted that he was recorded and his video was uploaded to social media without his consent. The content then garnered widespread criticism for being considered a violation of the privacy of workers on duty. Bryan has deleted all related content, apologized publicly, and admitted that he made inappropriate remarks when responding to the victim's request to delete the video.