Indonesia to Lift Restrictions on Wikipedia After Compliance Review
Jakarta. Indonesia will restore access to certain Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit organization that runs Wikipedia and other projects, services once the platform completes verification of its registration as a private electronic system operator with the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry, a senior official said Monday.
Alexander Sabar, director general for digital space supervision at the ministry, said the government welcomed Wikimedia’s communication and its commitment to comply with Indonesia’s digital platform registration rules.
“We appreciate the communication established by Wikimedia and its commitment to follow through with the registration process as a private electronic system operator. Access to the affected services will be normalized once the registration is verified,” Alexander said in a statement on Monday.
The restrictions currently affect the subdomain auth.wikimedia.org, which is part of Wikimedia’s authentication services.
Alexander said that as a global electronic system provider with millions of users in Indonesia, Wikimedia is required to register under the country’s regulatory framework for digital platforms.
Indonesia requires all digital platforms operating in the country to register as electronic system operators (PSE). The rule applies to platforms that provide digital services, process personal data, or have services accessible to users in Indonesia.
The requirement is stipulated in Ministerial Regulation No. 5/2020 on Electronic System Operators, which mandates that domestic and international platforms register with the government.
Alexander said the government values Wikimedia’s role in providing open knowledge to the public, but stressed that access to information must go hand in hand with compliance with national regulations.
“PSE registration is a form of accountability by platforms to the public and ensures there is a clear contact point for technical coordination, the handling of illegal content and the protection of users’ rights in Indonesia,” he said.
He added that a platform’s nonprofit status does not exempt it from obligations related to user data protection and digital security.
“In the digital space, security risks do not depend on an organization’s status. Accountability through formal registration is important to keep our digital ecosystem safe, trustworthy and sovereign,” Alexander said.
The ministry said it remains open to continued dialogue with the Wikimedia Foundation to facilitate the completion of the registration process.
According to Alexander, Wikimedia is expected to complete registration through Indonesia’s online single submission (OSS) system. Once verified, the government will evaluate and follow up on the current access restrictions affecting the authentication subdomain.
The move is part of the government’s broader effort to build a secure and orderly digital ecosystem while maintaining access to open information.
Alexander said Indonesia supports the availability of open knowledge platforms as long as they comply with national laws and protect the interests of Indonesian users.
Compliance by global platforms with domestic regulations, he added, is an important element in safeguarding national interests amid rapid global digital transformation.
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