Indonesia at the Digital Crossroads: Maslahah as a Civilisational Compass Amid Technological Disruption
In the current era of the global digital revolution, Indonesia no longer has time to move slowly. The digital revolution has become a historical certainty or even a massive wave that not only changes how humans work, communicate, and produce, but also reconstructs economic and governmental systems.
From electronic-based government to digital-based economy. The world is moving in one direction: the integration of technology into all aspects of life.
Data shows that global digital economy development over the past ten years has increased significantly, with the global digital economy growing and exceeding $16 trillion by 2025, or about 15–17 percent of world GDP.
Meanwhile domestically, digital acceleration is clearly evident. It is estimated that since 2023, Indonesia’s digital economy has reached $82 billion and has increased to $130–150 billion by 2025. The largest contributor is the e-commerce sector, accounting for more than 60 percent of the total digital economy.
Meanwhile, the number of internet users in Indonesia has surpassed more than 215 million people, or about 78 percent of the population, with smartphone penetration reaching 70 percent. These data illustrate that digital transformation is no longer mere discourse, but a reality shaping daily life.
However, behind these impressive figures, a fundamental question arises: is this growth aligned with social justice and collective welfare? This is where the perspective of maslahah becomes important—as a moral compass to ensure that digital transformation is not only fast, but also correctly directed and purposeful.
Maslahah as the Foundation of Digital Policy
The concept of maslahah in Islamic law is rooted in maqashid al-syariah, which emphasises the protection of five main aspects of life. In the digital context, this principle can be translated concretely through data-based policies.
For example, in the issue of personal data protection. Indonesia has experienced more than 90 major data breach cases throughout 2019–2023, affecting hundreds of millions of user data.
Meanwhile, global economic losses due to cybercrime even reached $8 trillion in 2023, and are estimated to increase to $10.5 trillion per year by 2025. This shows that data protection is not merely a technical issue, but part of safeguarding wealth (hifzh al-mal) and individual honour.
In the national cyber security environment, Indonesia recorded more than 370 million cyber traffic anomalies in one year according to the national cyber security agency. Threats to critical digital infrastructure continue to rise, including in the financial and health sectors. This directly relates to the protection of life (hifzh al-nafs) and national stability.
Meanwhile, digital literacy remains a major challenge. Indonesia’s digital literacy index is still around 3.5 on a scale of 5, indicating suboptimal understanding levels. On the other hand, more than 60 percent of internet users have been exposed to hoaxes or disinformation. This poses a serious threat to the protection of intellect (hifzh al-’aql).
In the digital economy, the contribution of digital SMEs continues to increase, with more than 22 million SMEs connected to digital platforms by 2024. However, contributions to GDP are still uneven, indicating gaps in access and capacity.
Without orientation towards these five principles, digital transformation risks being fast but unjust.
Maslahah Mursalah and the Space for Modern Ijtihad
Digital transformation presents new realities not explicitly discussed in classical texts. This is where the concept of maslahah mursalah provides space for modern ijtihad.
Policies such as national digital identity are becoming increasingly relevant. It is estimated that more than 180 countries have developed digital identity systems to enhance public service efficiency. Indonesia itself, through various digital government initiatives, continues to move in that direction.
In the payment system, digital transactions in Indonesia are growing rapidly. The value of electronic money transactions in 2023 reached more than Rp 500 trillion, nearly 2.5 times higher than five years previously. QRIS as a national payment system has been used by more than 30 million merchants, most of whom are SMEs.
In the field of artificial intelligence, the global AI market value is estimated to reach $1.8 trillion by 2030. Indonesia is beginning to adopt AI in various sectors, from public services to the creative industry. However, without clear governance, this technology also has the potential to cause bias, discrimination, and structural unemployment.
Thus, digital ijtihad must meet three principles: real benefits, not contradicting basic values, and not causing greater harm. Data shows that without proper regulation, technology benefits can be distributed unevenly.
Between Maslahah and Potential Deviations
Behind the great opportunities, digital transformation also harbours serious risks. One of the most striking is the concentration of data power.
The five largest technology companies in the world control more than 70 percent of the global digital market in certain sectors. This concentration creates significant economic power imbalances. In Indonesia, the dominance of large platforms is also beginning to appear in the e-commerce and digital services sectors.
In addition, the rapidly growing gig economy involves millions of workers. It is estimated that more than 4 million workers in Indonesia are involved in platform-based economy. However, most lack adequate social protection, such as health insurance or pensions.
The digital divide also remains a serious issue. Around 20–25 percent of Indonesia’s population still does not have internet access.