TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Journalist Safety Committee Against Hacking demanded the government’s response over the recent massive hacking towards online media. The Committee deemed the hacks were carried out systematically and could threaten the press freedom.

“The government should take a stand regarding the massive hacking attack,” said the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) Director Ade Wahyudin in an online press conference aired via a Youtube account of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) on Monday, August 24.

Ade lamented that the government had not yet spoken up about the case. “We have not received even the slightest response from the government over the case so far,” he said.

Ade argued that the hacking attack against online media violated two regulations, Press Law and the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law.

Ade claimed his side received reports that five online news outlets had been hacked. Two of them, tempo.co and tirto.id, had opened up. He observed there was a similar hacking pattern as two media had their articles about the Covid-19 cure developed by BIN, TNI, and Airlangga University erased and edited.

Ade also hoped other online news outlets fall victim to the hacking attack to make a report. The committee, he asserted, would always be ready to provide support and assistance. “We will support our friends to fight this,” he said.

Read also: LBH Pers Claim Hackers Attacked Tempo, Tirto.id, and More

M ROSSENO AJI