Indonesia amends controversial internet law

Indonesia’s House of Representatives has passed amendments to the controversial Electronic Information and Transactions Law to reduce penalties and set more clear definitions.

The strict law lays out tough penalties including jail time for online defamation and “online intimidation,” and has provoked controversy on multiple occasions due to its use to stifle what is seen as legitimate speech.

The new amendments set a definition of what constitutes defamation to prevent a loose interpretation of the law.

Additionally the revisions reduce jail time for defamation to four from six years, and for online intimidation to four from 12.

The amendments also introduce a “right to be forgotten” – giving courts the ability to request the deletion of certain online information.

In terms of enforcement the revisions include new regulation governing how state authorities should investigate internet-related crimes, and synchronize procedures on confiscation, seizure, arrest and detention with Indonesia’s criminal law.