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)