JAKARTA - Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Nurul Arifin, supports the plan of the Ministry of Communication and Digital which will require social media accounts to include mobile phone numbers as part of strengthening the national digital identity.
According to Nurul, this step needs to be seen as the state's effort to face serious threats in the ever-evolving cyber space, ranging from hoaxes, AI-based deepfakes, online gambling, child exploitation, to cross-border digital crimes.
"The digital space is now not only a place for social interaction, but has become an economic, political, and even national security space. Therefore, the state must be present to ensure accountability," said Nurul in his statement, Friday, May 22.
The Golkar Party politician assessed that the use of verified mobile phone numbers can help clarify the identity of internet users without having to directly limit people's freedom of expression.
A number of countries have implemented similar mechanisms in various forms to strengthen digital security and public protection.
China, for example, has long implemented a system of original identity registration for internet and social media services through phone numbers connected to citizen identities. Meanwhile, South Korea has implemented a real-name system to reduce anonymous hate speech and slander on the internet.
According to Nurul, Indonesia does not have to copy other countries' models in full, but can take positive aspects in the form of strengthening the accountability of digital users.
"Indonesia certainly has its own democratic character. So what is built is not excessive control, but rather shared responsibility so that our digital space is healthier," he said.
Nurul also assessed that the policy could help the police and digital platforms accelerate the handling of fake accounts, online fraud, and the spread of disinformation that often take advantage of anonymity.
However, he reminded the government not to rush into implementation. According to him, the success of the policy depends heavily on the protection of personal data and the transparency of the governance of the digital identity system.
"There are important conditions that must be met by the government. First, the protection of personal data must be really strong. Second, access to public data must be strictly monitored and must not be abused," said the Head of the Media and Public Opinion Gathering (MPO) of the Golkar Party.
Nurul added that the government also needed to ensure independent supervision, periodic cyber security audits, and an objection mechanism for the public if there was misuse of data.
In addition, he asked global digital platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and X to take responsibility for maintaining the security of Indonesia's digital space. According to him, digital identity regulation will not be effective if the platform remains weak in content moderation and user protection.
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