Ministry Blocks 40 Illegal Fintechs Every Day

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Communication and Information Technology Ministry (Kominfo) is part of the Investment Alert Task Force. According to the ministry's acting director information technology application control, Riki Arif Gunawan, the ministry's task is to block illegal financial technology (fintech) companies from the internet.

According to Riki, Kominfo blocked the illegal fintechs after an assessment from the Investment Alert Task Force.

"We receive 20 [illegal fintechs] in the morning and 20 in the evening—every day including Saturdays and Sundays," Riki said in Jakarta, Tuesday, August 13.

He also said there are illegal fintechs in Apple's App Store and Google Play Store. To block them, he said, the ministry collaborates with the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to provide recommendations to the two app providers.

"Legal fintechs that fail to meet OJK's recommendations could be blocked as well," he said.

According to Riki, the ministry, the OJK, the National Police, the Investment Alert Task Force hold weekly meetings to discuss illegal fintechs.

He said that as of today, the enforcement of the personal data protection rule is not strong enough, as it is only regulated in a ministerial regulation.

The government is currently formulating a Government Regulation on the operatorship of electronic transaction systems.

Because there is no regulation yet, the ministry conducts various efforts to foster awareness and responsibility among company owners and the public.

Given how easy it is for a tech company to obtain and process users' data. "A CEO's digital ethics that prevents excessive personal [data] processing is needed," he said.

Muhammad Hendartyo