Chat line dilemma

Chat line dilemma

The present fuss over "chat lines" is just one of a myriad of
complications which globalization is now forcing the nation to
confront.

Chat lines -- also known as "party lines" or "global
friendship lines" -- are a telephone service being offered by a
growing number of operators. These lines allow adult Indonesians
to "have fun and meet friends from all over the world" by dialing
a certain international telephone number.

Despite advertisements which emphasize the innocent, or even
sociable, nature of the services, many of them are really
disguised telephone sex operations designed to tap into the
growing market of affluent young Indonesians.

The advertised warning that callers must be at least 18 years
old, to be eligible for the service, is a clear indication of its
dubious nature. This warning, however, seems to act
simultaneously as a caution and an enticement.

Chat lines are actually nothing new. They were here in the
1980s but the last few years have seen an industry boom in line
with telecommunications improvements and a growing affluence
among some citizens.

A plethora of complaints, mostly from parents confronted by
skyrocketing telephone bills, forced these chat lines back into
the spotlight. It did not take long for others to jump on the
bandwagon.

Of course, it would be absurd to blame the authorities for
providing an infrastructure which allows this particular line of
telephone business to bloom. Yet, the government can hardly
disregard the objections being voiced by a growing number of
Indonesians, for reasons of either public morality or family
finances.

Hence the assurances from Minister of Tourism, Post and
Telecommunications Joop Ave that the government would do its best
to protect the public from exploitation. Protecting the public
from harm is, of course, one of the government's
responsibilities.

Joop's caution that it would be difficult for the authorities
to simply ban or curb the party line services, must not be
overlooked. The offending operators have exploited the available
facilities for sexual-related activities, but they have done so
without overstepping the legal boundaries.

"The government has built a network of telephones, TVs and
satellites for the progress of the nation, but unfortunately
bandits have used it for destructive purposes," Joop said.

Indeed, the complications of globalization that we, the
government included, are confronted with cannot be taken lightly.
As the process of globalization begins to turn the world into an
integrated whole, nation-state boundaries appear to be dissolving
and interdependency among countries is constantly growing.

Sex telephone services are advertised not only on our domestic
television networks but also in the printed media, particularly
those that are published abroad. But it is unthinkable that, for
instance, we cut our telecommunications links with the world
simply to protect ourselves from unwanted telephone services.

As in so many other cases involving values and influences
coming from outside, the best solution lies within ourselves.
Indonesians, as individuals and members of a community, must
garner the maturity necessary to absorb and select information
with good judgment and wisdom and react accordingly. Otherwise,
we will always be helpless in the face of the current onslaught
of unwanted influences.