Minister of Communication and Digital Asserts No Transfer of Indonesian Population Data to US
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, has emphasised that the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) between the Indonesian government and the United States does not include the transfer of Indonesian population data to the US.
“We need to clarify that the claim that this ART regulates the transfer of population data by the Indonesian Government to the United States Government is entirely incorrect,” she stated during a working meeting with Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) at the parliamentary complex, Jakarta, on Monday.
According to the Minister, the trade agreement between the Indonesian government and the United States only regulates the governance of data flows related to digital trade or activities within the digital ecosystem.
“It is important to convey that the scope of Article 3.2 specifically regulates the governance of data flows for digital ecosystem activities or digital trade,” she said.
Under the trade agreement, Indonesia is required to provide certainty regarding the transfer of personal data to the US by recognising that the US maintains equivalent protection standards. The agreement between the two nations also stipulates that the data transfer process must remain compliant with applicable Indonesian laws, specifically the Personal Data Protection Law (UU PDP).
She noted that the assessment of data protection levels will be conducted by the Personal Data Protection Agency, which is currently in the process of being established, to meet these requirements.
“Therefore, the recognition of the United States as a country with equivalent data protection must still undergo an assessment procedure conducted in accordance with the principles of the PDP Law and its regulations,” she added.
Regarding data transfer activities, there are also provisions for data controllers to provide adequate protection through contractual agreements. According to the regulations, data owners may provide explicit consent after being informed of the risks associated with the transfer of personal data.