Safety or freedom, surveillance or transparency: Between protests and online gambling allegations - TikTok faces administrative action

1. What Happened: The Content of the "Temporary Suspension" License

On October 3, Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) temporarily suspended TikTok's Electronic System Operator Registration (TDPSE). The reason was the "insufficient provision" of activity data from live broadcasts related to nationwide protests in late August (8/25–30). The government emphasized the obligation to provide data based on supervisory authority and announced the registration freeze as an administrative measure. It explained that the app is currently available and not completely blocked.komdigi.go.id

The international reports that first widely covered this issue were from Reuters, Financial Times, and Channel NewsAsia. They reported on the government's "tracking of accounts related to online gambling" and TikTok's reluctance to provide "complete data submission" citing internal policy reasons.Reuters

2. TikTok's Position: "Compliance with Laws" and "User Privacy"

TikTok stated that it is "constructively engaging with the authorities" and issued a statement upholding the balance between respecting the laws of each country and protecting user privacy (as reported by Bloomberg). The administrative measure does not mean a complete suspension of the company, but it highlights the tension between the authorities' demand for "data access for supervision" and the company's "internal policy/privacy protection."NDTV Profit

3. Background: Late August Protests and the "Temporary Suspension of Live"

In late August, amid escalating protests across the country, TikTok suspended its live feature nationwide in Indonesia for a few days citing safety reasons. The "four days without live" until it resumed became a symbolic event concerning digital sovereignty and platform responsibility.Reuters

4. What is the Issue: Three Points of Debate

(1) Supervisory Authority and Privacy
The government demands data provision from platforms for supervisory purposes to crack down on illegal activities and ensure public safety. However, comprehensive demands could lead to the erosion of user privacy and journalistic records—especially since live broadcasts during protests overlap with citizens' recording activities.komdigi.go.id

(2) Economic Impact (UMKM)
TikTok is a crucial infrastructure for sales and customer acquisition for Indonesia's small and medium enterprises (UMKM). There is a precedent in 2023 where TikTok Shop was forced to stop due to "social commerce" regulations, and this time, UMKM's anxiety is growing. Voices from the parliament also call for a resolution that does not "kill UMKM."AP News

(3) Balance of Freedom of Expression and Security
During the chaos in August, live broadcasts functioned as a means to visualize and criticize protests. Reports from SCMP and FT indicate that this measure is being watched internationally as an event questioning the boundary between speech and supervision.South China Morning Post

5. Decoding SNS Reactions (X/Instagram/Domestic Media)

Trends in Hashtags and Discourse
・Supporters of "National Data Sovereignty": They believe data provision for supervision is natural to deal with illegal gambling and inflammatory content. The stance is mainly spread through local media and official accounts.sumut.antaranews.com
・Privacy and Freedom of Expression Advocates: Concerns over excessive data demands from the perspective of recording protests and citizen safety. The spread of international media articles is notable.South China Morning Post
・UMKM and Creator Practitioners: Concerns about "impact on sales and viewership revenue" and discussions about "preparing alternative platforms" are practical (domestic economic media and commentary posts).Editor News

Specific examples of posts include numerous shares of news media's X posts and Instagram's news cards, with actions to read details through links spreading. While individual general user posts are not quoted here, reactions can be broadly categorized into the above three types based on the spread of news posts (e.g., X posts from news stations and news cards from various media).X (formerly Twitter)

6. Future Scenarios: Three "Compromises"

Scenario A: Agreement on Limited Data Access
Clarifying the purpose of supervision, an agreement on "quasi-judicial access" with limited period, target, and procedures (supervisory purpose, limited ID, audit log). The app operates normally, and strengthening transparency reports is key to regaining trust.komdigi.go.id(Speculation based on the authorities' "supervision" claims)

Scenario B: Function Limitation + Third-Party Audit
Temporary restrictions on monetizing live broadcasts or operating specific hashtags, with third-party audits for reauthorization. Similar to the "limited solution" during the 2023 social commerce regulation.AP News

Scenario C: Prolonged Conflict
Time required for agreement due to alignment of internal policies and laws of each country. "Distributed migration" of UMKM and creators progresses, altering the ecosystem. A new spark in the international "data sovereignty vs. global regulations" debate.Financial Times

7. Practical Advice for Companies, Creators, and Administration (Concise)

• Brands/EC Operators: Diversify sales channels (Meta/YouTube/marketplaces), alternative KPIs for live (short clips + external LP guidance), review ad ratios.

• Creators: Diversify revenue sources (membership/sponsor direct contracts/own EC).

• Administration: Ensure social trust through limited access requests, post-audits, and institutionalizing transparency reports.
  (The above is general advice. Compliance with laws is left to each company's legal judgment.)

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