Beware dangers of the Internet: Government

Beware dangers of the Internet: Government

JAKARTA (JP): Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism,
Post and Telecommunications Jonathan L. Parapak has warned
Indonesians about the provision of misleading information by
certain irresponsible people on the Internet global computerized
information service.

Parapak said on Saturday that the Internet network, which
provides access to information world-wide, was an unavoidable
consequence of globalization in the information sector.

"I agree with the use of the system, but I think people should
select the positive information," he said, as quoted by Antara,
at Petra University in Surabaya.

The obvious benefit of using Internet services, he said, was
the access they allowed to information from all over the world,
in fields such as science and technology, education and
sociology.

However, the surge of information could easily be used by
irresponsible people to slip in misleading information, he said,
adding that would be very harmful.

Petra University plans to set up its own Internet facility, to
be called "Petranet", which will give users access to academic
information from other universities world-wide, as well as
information on education, science and technology.

The Internet is used by some 50 million people in 150
countries.

At present the flow of information on the Internet from one
country to another is not regulated by governments, leaving the
choice of information to the individual user. (pwn)