Justice Minister: Disinformation Bill Targets Social Media, Not Mainstream Press
Justice Minister Supratman Andi Agtas has claimed that the proposed Law on Combating Disinformation and Foreign Propaganda (Disinformation Bill) is not intended to restrict press freedom. According to Supratman, the drafting of the legislation has been conducted carefully and with consideration of national requirements.
He noted that global developments have made the spread of information in the digital sphere increasingly difficult to control. “So it is not about restricting press freedom, absolutely not. But we must also remember that the digital world has already developed extraordinarily,” said Supratman at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026.
This Gerindra Party politician stated that the Disinformation and Foreign Propaganda Bill will ultimately target information management on social media platforms. Since the process of producing and disseminating information through social media currently lacks strict regulation, “What we want to address is not mainstream media, but social media. Because control of that is not in our hands,” Supratman said.
The drafting process is currently at the academic framework stage at the Ministry of Justice. Therefore, the government has not yet established standards or restrictions regarding the subjects of disinformation and foreign propaganda.
Nevertheless, Supratman said, the definition of ‘disinformation’ in the proposed legislation is the dissemination of false information. Meanwhile, ‘foreign propaganda’ targets information originating from abroad. “Actually, it is not a matter of foreign or not, but applies to all types of information, both domestic and foreign,” Supratman explained. “So, if previously it was more about news disseminated from outside, providing information that was ultimately absorbed by society,” he added.
Supratman stated that the Ministry of Justice is still completing the academic framework. The Ministry has not yet submitted the draft to parliament. According to him, the government has not set a target date for submitting the proposed legislation to the House of Representatives.
“Currently it is only in the drafting stage because we do have a need for it. What is worrying is if it restricts the freedom of our friends in the press as a pillar of democracy. Well, trust me, that will not happen,” said Supratman.
The academic framework for the Law on Combating Disinformation and Foreign Propaganda was circulated from mid-January 2026. In that framework, it was stated that the drafting of the law has urgency in providing legal certainty regarding the handling of disinformation and foreign propaganda that could threaten national information sovereignty, divide national unity, influence democratic processes, and weaken national resilience.
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has stated that the drafting of the Law on Combating Disinformation and Foreign Propaganda violates the constitution. According to YLBHI, the government plans to restrict freedom of expression as mandated in Articles 28F and 28E of the 1945 Constitution.
Article 28F of the 1945 Constitution states that every person has the right to communicate and obtain information to develop their personality and social environment. Citizens also have the right to seek, obtain, possess, store, process, and convey information using all available channels. Meanwhile, Article 28E of the 1945 Constitution guarantees basic rights of individual freedoms, including the freedom to express thoughts and opinions.
According to YLBHI, the law being prepared by the government could become a new instrument of criminalisation. “YLBHI views this plan as genuinely targeting critical citizens, controlling information, and shutting down funding and support for civil society organisations,” YLBHI stated in a written statement on Thursday, 15 January 2026.
Furthermore, YLBHI believes that the directive for drafting the law from President Prabowo Subianto reveals the true face of a government that is opposed to criticism. For a long time, YLBHI noted, officials in Prabowo’s circle have shown signs of being allergic to criticism from civil society coalitions.
This is also reinforced by statements from the Head of State who frequently accuses foreign actors of being behind criticism. “YLBHI views this as an integral part of a power structure that is increasingly opposed to criticism and allergic to the voices of people raising facts, including from civil society organisations.”