Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs Flags Meta Over Defamatory Content and Online Gambling
MINISTER of Communications and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid issued a stern warning to Meta over a low level of compliance in following up on findings related to online gambling content as well as misinformation, defamation, and hate speech (DFK). ‘DFK content poses a threat to the safety of Indonesian communities if not addressed promptly,’ she said in a written statement on Wednesday, 4 March 2026.
The stern warning was delivered as Meutya led a surprise inspection of Meta’s operational offices in Jakarta on Wednesday, 4 March 2026. The warning was issued because Meta’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, have not been optimal in curbing waves of online gambling, misinformation, defamation, and hate.
Based on government monitoring data, Meta’s compliance level in addressing online gambling content and DFK findings in Indonesia stands at 28.47 per cent. According to the Ministry of Communications and Digital, Meta is among the platforms with the lowest compliance rates among social media platforms operating in Indonesia.
The Ministry regards the low level of compliance as highly concerning. This is because the user base of Meta’s services in the country is among the largest in the world, with Facebook and WhatsApp users reaching 112 million each.
Meutya stated that the platform’s failure to moderate content has serious implications for the safety of citizens because it risks endangering public safety in Indonesia if not addressed quickly.
She also urged Meta to immediately strengthen its content moderation system and accelerate handling of content that violates the law. The aim is to mitigate risks from online gambling, misinformation on health issues, digital fraud, and the growing sexual exploitation on the Meta platforms.
The Ministry of Communications and Digital regards the spread of misinformation as not only fuelling divisions among citizens but also weakening democracy and triggering social polarization that could threaten public order.
Under Article 40 of Law No. 1 of 2024 on Information and Electronic Transactions (UU ITE), the state is empowered to prevent and handle the spread of electronic information that violates the law. Meutya emphasised that every electronic system operator operating in Indonesia has an obligation to comply with national law and to be responsible for the security of the digital space for the public.