Questioning The Plan To Block Google, Facebook, WhatsApp And Instagram In Indonesia: What Are The Causes And Impacts?

The Instagram social media application, will you leave Indonesia with your brothers and sisters such as Google, Facebook, and Whatsapp due to collision with the rules of the Electronic System Operator? (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - What will happen if Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram can no longer be accessed by the people of Indonesia?

This question arose after the news about the plan to block the application by Kominfo. Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram have not yet registered for Private Electronic System Operators (PSE) in Indonesia. If you do not register until the deadline given, namely July 20, 2022, access to the PSE Private Scope platform or site has the potential to be blocked.

“The process is gradual, we will identify it first, ask for an explanation from the PSE concerned. If there is no sufficient explanation acceptable to the Ministry of Communications and Informatics, then in accordance with PM 5/2020 and its revisions, we will immediately cut off access," said Ministry of Communication and Information (Kominfo) spokesman Dedy Permadi.

Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram are the most popular applications in Indonesia. Google is the most used search engine in the world. In fact, more than 70 percent of online search queries worldwide are handled by Google. Not much different in Indonesia. Almost all Indonesian internet users access Google.

Likewise Facebook. Referring to Internetworldstats data as reported by katadata.com, Facebook users in Indonesia reached 175.3 million at the end of March 2021. "This figure is equivalent to 63.4% of the total population of 276.36 million people (estimated 2021) or 82% from internet users in the country.”

Then WhatsApp, which reached 84.8 million users as of June 2021 and Instagram which reached 92.53 million users in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Meta Platform Inc. Logo at the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, USA. (Wikipedia)

If the three applications are properly blocked, it would be a golden opportunity for its competitors. Like TikTok. Check out TikTok's current achievements. We Are Social's report titled 'Digital 2022: Another Year of Bumper Growth' states that the number of active users of TikTok has reached 1.6 billion as of January 2022. It beats the number of active Instagram users that existed long ago with 1.47 billion active users.

Number refers to the number of downloads. "The number of TikTok downloads in semester 1 2022 was 373.2 million times. While overall since the application was launched in 2016, the total downloads have reached 3.7 billion. In the first half of this year TikTok remained the application with the most downloads beating the ranks of social media applications belonging to Meta Group (Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp). Even TikTok, which is marketed in its home country under the name Douyin, has beaten the number of downloads per Meta Group quarter since the first quarter of 2021," quoted from Netray.id, Monday (18/7).

The average user even spends 95 minutes per day opening TikTok. This record time is more than four times the average time spent on Snapchat (21 minutes), more than three times the time spent on Twitter (29 minutes), and almost double that of Facebook (49 minutes) and Instagram (51 minutes). ).

Telegram is also very likely to be more popular than WhatsApp. When WhatsApp was down for almost 7 hours in September 2021 alone, Telegram, said Pavel Durov as the initiator, actually got 70 million new users.

Telegram's popularity is still inferior to WhatsApp at this time. Even so, launching Business of Apps, Telegram users continue to increase and have reached 500 million people by 2021.

It could be because this short message delivery application has its own advantages. Among other things, being able to send large amounts of data, being able to create online communication groups with a capacity of 200 thousand participants, and fast synchronization. Telegram is also touted as one of the safe messaging applications because it runs the end-to-end encryption feature which is more complicated than WhatsApp, making this application difficult for hackers to tap.

Not to mention other applications from China such as Baidu as a substitute for the Google search engine, Weibo as a substitute for Facebook and Twitter, Youku Tudou which is a video streaming platform such as YouTube, and WeChat, an instant messaging application that has developed into a multi-functional application, including online shopping. and digital wallets.

It is not impossible that these applications will continue to expand their market to Indonesia if Google and other Meta Platform Inc products choose not to apply PSE.

Is it possible for Facebook, IG, WA to leave Indonesia?

The possibility of Facebook, IG, WA and a number of other large applications leaving Indonesia could happen. Google has been in this position several times. As in 2021, Google threatened to withdraw its search service from Australia if the Australian Government passed the draft News Media Barganing Code bill.

The law requires Google to enter into commercial agreements with every news outlet, otherwise it will be forced to arbitrate. "This regulation will certainly create financial and operational risks that cannot be managed properly," said Google Australia Director Mel Silva as quoted from Tempo news on February 1, 2021.

Google, Facebook and a number of other apps have also previously pulled out of China. At that time, China issued strict censorship to every Electronic System Operator. The rules released by China's Cyberspace Administration (CAC) seem to limit the freedom of expression of every citizen on social media.

For example, the prohibition of creating and distributing illegal content that leaks state secrets, damages the nation's religious policies, and content that is considered bad and can encourage minors to take negative actions.

Will Instagram, Facebook, and Whatsapp leave Indonesia? (Pixabay)

In addition, there is also a suggestion that content creators focus on promoting socialist theory, as well as content that helps increase the international influence of Chinese culture.

The CAC exercises strict oversight of online content producers, including individuals, app operators and other platforms. Using a great firewall, a complex network of internet filtering systems used to block access to thousands of foreign websites and DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) is governed by a separate offensive system located together with the Great Firewall. So that China can intercept and redirect large amounts of web traffic to certain sites.

“The cornerstone of China's internet control is data. The cybersecurity law enacted in 2017 requires internet companies operating in China to store user data on local servers and allow inspections when parties deem necessary,” CNBC Indonesia wrote on April 22, 2019.

Same Problem in Indonesia

The problems that occur in Indonesia may not be much different. Google and a number of Meta Platform Inc Products are still taking time to register for PSA. Meanwhile, its competitors (TikTok and Telegram) have already adhered to the rules of the Indonesian government.

Cybersecurity Consultant and Practitioner Teguh Aprianto in his tweet at @secgron suggested that it was because there was a regulation in the Minister of Communication and Information Technology Number 10 of 2021 concerning Amendments to Minister of Communication and Information Technology Number 5 of 2020 concerning Private Scope PSEs which contradicted their privacy policy.

In the regulation there are articles that are 'problematic'. First, Article 9 paragraphs 3 and 4. Article 9 paragraph (3) Private Scope PSE must ensure: a. The electronic system does not contain prohibited electronic information and/or electronic documents and; b. The electronic system does not facilitate the dissemination of prohibited electronic information and/or electronic documents.

Article 9 paragraph (4) prohibited electronic information and/or electronic documents as referred to in paragraph 3 with the following classifications: a. violate the provisions of laws and regulations; b. Disturbing the public and disturbing public order; c. Tell how or provide access to electronic information and/or electronic documents that are prohibited.

“Article 9 paragraphs 3 and 4 are too dangerous because 'disturbing the public' & 'disturbing public order' are really rubbery. Later it can be used to "turn off" criticism even if it is delivered peacefully. What's the basis? They are only responsible for disturbing public order,” Teguh wrote, Sunday (17/7).

Then article 14 related to Applications for Termination of Access to Electronic Information and/or Electronic Documents that are prohibited as referred to in Article 13. Paragraph 3 point c reads content that disturbs the public and disturbs public order.

Minister of Communication and Information, Johnny Gerard Plate. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)

“We found again 'disturbing the public' and 'disturbing public order'. In this section, they will be able to limit their freedom of expression and opinion at will. Why is my content taken down? They are only responsible for disturbing the community," added Teguh.

Then what is also disturbing is article 36, paragraph (1) PSE Private Scope provides access to Traffic Data and Electronic System User Information requested by law enforcement officials in the event that the request is officially submitted to the PSE Private Scope contact person.

Paragraph (3) Private Scope PES provides access to communication content requested by law enforcement officials in the event that the request is officially submitted to Private Scope PSE

“Law enforcement will later be able to request the content of our communications and personal data from PSE. What is the guarantee that this will not be misused to limit or end the movements of those who are against the government? Isn't it there?" he said.

Launching from Tirto, the Minister of Communication and Informatics Jhonny G. Plate said that PSE registration is not related to the content on the PSE, but rather to the administrative obligations of the PSE. For almost two years, the government has appealed to PSEs, especially private sector PSEs such as Facebook, Google, and Instagram to register.

However, the private sector PSE still has not registered. "We urge the Private Scope PSE to immediately register before Kominfo implements sanctions in accordance with the provisions of the applicable laws in Indonesia," said Plate.

The PSE rules apply not only to Indonesian PSEs, but also global PSEs, domestic and foreign investment PSEs. The government also has different provisions for PSE in the private sphere and PSE in the public sphere.

So far, Google representatives are planning to take immediate action to comply with the private PSE rules. "We are aware of the need to register from the relevant regulations, and will take appropriate action in an effort to comply," said a Google representative as quoted from Tirto, Monday (18/7).

Meanwhile, WhatsApp and Instagram did not want to respond to further steps to be taken before blocking. "We haven't received any response from us, either for off-record or for quoting."