Meta executives meet Communications Minister over compliance violations

Jakarta — Meta executives met with Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid in response to a government inspection concerning Meta’s inadequate compliance with regulations regarding harmful content removal in Indonesia.

Meutya received a visit from Rafael Frankel, Director of Public Policy for Meta in Southeast and South Asia, and his team at the Communications Ministry office in Jakarta on Thursday, 12 March.

“I ensured that yesterday’s inspection of Meta’s office was not merely symbolic and improvements must and will be made. This meeting discussed steps to enhance compliance with Indonesian regulations,” Meutya said in a statement issued in Jakarta and confirmed on Friday.

The government also raised concerns about the circulation of disinformation content on Meta platforms, particularly regarding health topics, which has become a significant concern due to its potential to mislead the public.

Additionally, financial topics packaged as hoaxes and scams were also discussed to ensure they could be addressed.

The government requested faster coordination mechanisms between the platform and authorities.

“The Indonesian Government is open to dialogue with all digital platforms, but the principle is clear: every company operating in Indonesia must respect and comply with applicable regulations,” Meutya concluded.

Meutya explained that the inspection was conducted after the government had previously engaged with Meta through both formal and persuasive communication channels. Deeming compliance efforts insufficient, the Communications Ministry directly visited the offices managing Facebook and Instagram.