Jakarta. Indonesia on Friday denied claims circulating online that it would hand over the personal data of its 280 million citizens to the United States under the newly signed Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART).

Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said the trade pact does not regulate or mandate any exchange of citizens’ data, dismissing viral social media allegations as misinformation.

“The claim that the government will trade the data of 280 million citizens is a hoax that underestimates the public’s intelligence,” Meutya told reporters in Jakarta.

She clarified that cross-border data transfers occur when Indonesian citizens voluntarily use US-based digital platforms, such as social media services, payment systems, or cloud storage providers — not as a result of government intervention.

“There is a misperception that the government is handing over its citizens’ data. That is absolutely not true,” she said.

According to Meutya, the trade agreement with Washington instead provides a legal framework to ensure protection and security for cross-border personal data transfers when Indonesians choose to access foreign digital services.

She added that in today’s digital economy, personal data functions much like goods and services in international trade. Cross-border data flows are unavoidable as citizens increasingly connect to the global digital ecosystem via the internet.

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