AJI: Indonesian Govt Should Not Arbitrarily Remove News Content

Press Freedom Under Scrutiny: AJI Indonesia Challenges Digital Content Moderation Framework Concerns Over Government Authority in Digital Spaces

Press Freedom Under Scrutiny: AJI Indonesia Challenges Digital Content Moderation Framework

Concerns Over Government Authority in Digital Spaces

Tempatdonasi.com – AJI – The Alliance of Independent Journalists, known as AJI Indonesia, has voiced strong opposition to the current approach the government takes toward moderating online content. This criticism centers on the potential threat that such policies pose to press freedom, particularly regarding the ability to remove journalistic materials from various digital platforms without proper oversight.

Nany Afrida, who serves as the chairperson of AJI Indonesia, emphasized that the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, commonly referred to as Komdigi, must not position itself as the final decision-maker when it comes to determining whether news content should remain accessible to the public online.

“The ministry cannot place itself above all other institutions,” Nany Afrida stated to journalists gathered at the Supreme Court building in Central Jakarta on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

One prominent example that AJI cited involves content created by the Indonesian digital media publication Magdalene. This case illustrates how the current moderation framework has directly impacted news organizations and their ability to publish without interference. According to AJI’s position, conflicts concerning journalistic materials ought to be resolved within the domain of the Press Council, which operates as Indonesia’s independent regulatory body for media affairs.

Legal Challenges and Broader Implications

Nany Afrida further explained that unchecked arbitrary removal of content could generate additional victims throughout the media sector if the current system remains unmodified. She stressed that institutional responsibility matters significantly in protecting press freedom.

“It is the responsibility of the Press Council,” Nany emphasized, noting that without proper safeguards, journalists and media outlets face increasing vulnerability to sudden content removals.

Working alongside multiple media and press organizations, AJI has initiated a judicial review concerning Government Regulation Number 71 of 2019, which governs the Implementation of Electronic Systems and Transactions, abbreviated as PSTE. This regulation constitutes the foundational legal framework supporting Indonesia’s approach to content moderation in digital environments.

Mustafa Layong, who holds the position of director at the Press Legal Aid Institute, known as LBH Pers, presented arguments highlighting that several provisions within the regulation are excessively broad. These provisions allow for multiple interpretations, which may create conflicts with Indonesia’s Press Law, the Electronic Information and Transactions Law, commonly called ITE Law, and various international human rights standards that Indonesia has committed to upholding.

“The regulation limits freedom of expression,” Mustafa Layong pointed out, drawing attention to how the current framework may restrict fundamental rights.

He argued that content removal can occur even before authorities have definitively established whether a violation of existing law has taken place. This premature action raises serious questions about due process protections and whether the public maintains adequate access to information that might otherwise be removed.

International Standards and Government Response

Various critics have suggested that the regulation might also conflict with Indonesia’s Human Rights Law as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, known as ICCPR, which Indonesia has ratified as a party.

Despite these concerns, Komdigi has maintained that it does not possess unilateral power to remove journalistic content independently. Alexander Sabar, serving as the ministry’s director general for digital space oversight, clarified in June that news content cannot be taken down without receiving a recommendation from the Press Council first.

“The authority to handle press products fundamentally falls under the Press Law,” Alexander Sabar explained, reinforcing the ministry’s position that press matters should remain within press-specific regulatory boundaries.

The ongoing debate reflects broader tensions between government digital governance objectives and the preservation of independent journalism in Indonesia’s evolving media landscape. Stakeholders continue to monitor how these legal challenges will shape future content moderation practices across the nation’s digital platforms.