Indonesia Withdraws Plan to Block Social Media X over Pornographic Content

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Director General of Information and Public Communication at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo), Usman Kansong, said the government canceled its plan to block social media X (formerly Twitter) for its policy on pornographic content. Usman stated the Indonesian government will use a firewall and takedown mechanism to combat the recently allowed pornography on the platform. 

Takedown means Indonesia will delete pornographic content from social media platforms. Meanwhile, a firewall system is designed to prevent unwanted access or content from or into an internal network, including social media.

"(X) is not blocked. We will use a firewall and a takedown mechanism," said Usman in Jakarta on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

Usman claims the government has succeeded in preventing pornographic content from entering social media thus far. However, he said, the government is not yet capable of handling pornographic content accessed through VPN. 

Therefore, the government will implement a mechanism for removing pornographic content and optimizing a system designed to prevent pornographic content from entering social media platforms. Moreover, said Usman, his side had sent a warning letter to social media X not to allow pornographic content.

Kominfo Minister Budi Arie Setiadi earlier said the government would block access to X in Indonesia if it still intends to display pornographic content. Minister Budi claimed to have sent a letter to the platform "Regarding pornography on X, I have written to the platform that if it allows pornographic content in Indonesia, we will block them,” the minister said on June 10, 2024, claiming that Indonesia will take firm action against questionable content. 

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