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Indonesia restricts international online platforms
A number of prominent online systems – including Steam, Epic Games, PayPal, and Yahoo – have been blocked in Indonesia, after having failed to comply with new registration requirements in the archipelago nation.
Rules established under a law passed in 2020 required ‘Private Electronic System Providers’ to register on an official database or be banned from operating in the country. The deadline for doing so was on 27 July.
Reuters pointed out that the law would give the Indonesian government powers to obtain information about people, and to demand the removal of content. This provoked criticism on the grounds that it would give the government undue coercive powers.
A number of other prominent service providers such Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, TikTok, Twitter, Netflix, and Spotify have duly registered.
The restrictions on the affected companies may be lifted if they register.
However, the block on Paypal has been temporarily removed after protests from Indonesians who depend on the platform for business purposes. An official at Indonesia’s Communications Ministry, Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, said: ‘Hopefully that is enough time for users to migrate, get their money and find other services.’
