Expert: Online Gambling Eradication Team Must Demand Platform Transparency

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Cybersecurity expert Alfons Tanujaya from Vaksincom stated that the online gambling eradication team initiated by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi) together with platforms has the task of demanding transparency from platforms regarding their content moderation systems. According to him, although digital platforms already moderate content, it remains insufficient because these platforms actually hold the data and possess the technical capability to tackle online gambling content distributors. “Indeed, many parties must be held responsible. But the greatest leverage lies with the platforms. The root of the problem is with the bookies and affiliates who hide their locations and are difficult to reach. However, the platforms provide the stage, hold the data, and have the technical ability to detect them,” said the man who also serves as Deputy Chairman 2 of Cyber Security Aptiknas. Alfons mentioned that this modus operandi can occur because perpetrators promoting online gambling content exploit vulnerabilities in digital platforms regarding new account creation, which only requires an email, allowing mass account creation. Many organic accounts are also misused after falling victim to phishing by criminals. “They post comments using bots via the platform API or automated browsers with rotating IP blocks to circumvent restrictions,” Alfons said. Furthermore, Alfons stated that the emergence of these accounts can actually be detected by digital platforms because the platforms have full access to account owner information, ranging from IP access data to the email or identity behind the account. Therefore, the Indonesian Government, through the special online gambling eradication team, should be able to be firmer with platforms to provide data transparency, thereby facilitating government coordination in hunting down the perpetrators behind the scenes of online gambling. “Demand platform transparency regarding moderation effectiveness, and platforms must provide regular reports. Evidence of their moderation and work,” he said. This step must also be accompanied by the closure of accounts that are the source of funds for online gambling perpetrators, with the hope that when all these efforts run in tandem, the eradication of online gambling can be achieved nationally. “We have agreed to form a joint team to address the problem of online gambling on platforms, especially regarding the recent feedback we have received, namely spam in comments,” said Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday. She stated that Kemkomdigi is not only involving Meta in efforts to handle comment spam containing online gambling content. Going forward, the government will also form a joint team collaborating with various other digital platforms.