MCIT demands ISPs to filter DNS containing radicalism

Jakarta, InfoPublik – Communications and Information Technology Ministry (MCIT) requested Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to conduct termination of access or filtering to Telegram's 11 Domain Name Systems (DNS) containing radicalism.

The ministry’s director general for ICT applications, Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, said that there were a number of service channels in those DNS that contained radicalism, terrorism, hate speech, solicitation or manual to assemble bombs, attacking method, disturbing images, and so forth. These contents had violated the laws and regulations in Indonesia. 

“We have requested ISPs to conduct termination of access [filtering] to 11 DNS belong to Telegram,” he said in Jakarta, Saturday (7/15).

The filtered DNS were t.me, telegram.me, telegram.org, core.telegram.org, desktop.telegram.org, macos.telegram.org, web.telegram.org, venus.web.telegram.org, pluto.web.telegram.org, flora.web.telegram.org, and flora-1.web.telegram.org.

This filtering measure was resulted on the inaccessibility of Telegram services in web version or inaccessible via computer. “At the moment, we are preparing a measure to fully block Telegram application throughout Indonesia if Telegram fails to provide the Standard Operating Procedure [SOP] on handling contents which violate the law. The measure is taken in order to maintain the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia [NKRI],” said Semuel.

He explained that this application could endanger the national security for not preparing SOP to handle terrorism contents. It is stipulated in Article 40 of Law Number 19 Year 2016 on the Revision of Law Number 11 Year 2008 on Electronic Information and Transactions.

“MCIT always coordinates with other state agencies and law enforcers in conducting filtering of contents that violate the laws and regulations in Indonesia,” he concluded. (Translator: Erik Limantara)