Rabat – Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information has threatened to ban all online services and sites, including digital giants like Whatsapp, Facebook, and Google, on July 21 if they fail to register with the country’s government.
CNN Indonesia said that Johnny Plate, the country’s Minister of Communications, said that all private online providers must be registered by July 20, adding that the registration can be done through a single online submission.
Any sites or online providers that fail to register face the threat of being banned, CNN reported, adding that several big names like Google, Youtube, and Twitter have not yet been registered.
Restrictions on the internet and online freedoms in the country are nothing new however, as big services like Whatsapp and Facebook have been facing disruptions since 2019.
Back then, Indonesia’s government included vocal critics of Facebook who warned that the country would be limiting access to social media and deactivating certain features in order “to maintain calm.”
Those disruptions followed on the heels of political tension that came from the results of a presidential election.
While government officials and supporters of the ban say the social media platforms are spreading misinformation and contributing to already deteriorating political situations, critics say the restrictions limit free speech and represent an overreach on the government’s part.
