Indonesia Considers Banning Telegram Over Lack of Moderation
Date: 2024-08-29 Author: Gabriel Deangelo Categories: IN WORLD
Indonesian Communications and Informatics Minister Budi Arye Setiadi said the country is considering blocking Telegram, local news outlet Jakarta Globe reported on August 29.
According to the minister, Indonesia is concerned about the spread of illegal content on Telegram, including alleged involvement in promoting online gambling and distributing pornography.
Authorities are also considering banning Bigo Live, a global live-streaming app owned by Singapore-based Bigo Technology, over similar allegations.
The allegations against Telegram relate to lack of moderation after several requests
Budi noted that both Telegram and Bigo have promised to improve content moderation following requests from the Indonesian government. However, the companies failed to implement more effective moderation measures and provide a solution to the problem.
The minister added that he would personally prefer to “close” Telegram and Bigo Live, but that thorough research is needed to make a final decision.
He warned that if more evidence is found of illegal content being distributed on these platforms, it will inevitably lead to their blocking in the country. The minister noted:
“We act based on the evidence collected by our team. If we find evidence of pornography or gambling promotion, we will proceed to block the platforms.”
Indonesia is the third-largest country in the world by Telegram users
If Indonesia bans Telegram, the messenger will lose a significant portion of its user base.
According to Demandsage, Indonesia is the third-largest country in the world by Telegram users, with more than 27 million downloads of the app from the country.
As of July 2024, Telegram had over 950 million monthly active users, with India accounting for over 100 million users and Russia coming in second with 34 million users.
