Indonesia’s Communications Ministry has issued a stern warning to Meta Platforms for failing to adequately curb the spread of online gambling and disinformation across its platforms.
The warning followed an unscheduled visit on Wednesday by Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid to Meta’s operational office in Jakarta. According to the ministry, the visit was prompted by concerns over what it described as the company’s low level of compliance with Indonesia’s content regulations.
Authorities said Meta had acted on only 28.47 per cent of flagged content linked to online gambling and disinformation. The ministry also raised concerns about the spread of defamation and hate speech on Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
“Disinformation, defamation, and hate content threaten lives in Indonesia, yet Meta has allowed them to persist,” Meutya said in a statement.
The ministry urged the technology giant to strengthen its content moderation systems and accelerate the removal of illegal and harmful material. It stressed that digital platforms operating in Indonesia must comply fully with national regulations aimed at protecting users from harmful content.
Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The development follows earlier action by the Indonesian government. Last year, the ministry summoned representatives of Meta and other social media companies, directing them to improve moderation efforts amid growing concerns about the spread of disinformation online.
The latest warning signals Jakarta’s increasing pressure on global technology firms to take greater responsibility for content shared on their platforms.
Melissa Enoch
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