Unravelling KPI's Role in the Digital Broadcasting Content Landscape
During a working meeting with the House of Representatives’ Commission 1 on Monday (18 May), Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid stated that the government is drafting regulations requiring social media users to verify their accounts with phone numbers. The measure aims to strengthen digital oversight and curb the spread of misinformation, hate speech, and online fraud.
While this effort to protect the public from harmful content is commendable, the government must also address the regulation of digital broadcasting content. The digitisation of media and rise of social platforms have flooded our daily lives with content—not just text and images, but audiovisual material, including AI-generated content.
Such content is widely distributed across social platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, as well as Over-the-Top (OTT) services including Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Mola, Vidio, and other streaming services. These platforms operate across borders, are on-demand, and are not fully subject to the conventional broadcasting regulatory regime under Broadcasting Law No. 32 of 2002.
Why are audiovisual services on social media and OTT platforms considered broadcasting content? Because their characteristics, functions, and impacts mirror those of conventional media (radio and television) using radio frequency spectrum. They serve the same function, disseminating widely across digital public spaces. Moreover, their content has a mass reach and significant social impact, often exceeding traditional broadcasting.
Therefore, all entities operating and dominating this space must be subject to the same regulations (level playing field) and bear social responsibility. Digital broadcasting content providers profit from their productions, so regulatory focus must shift from technical mediums to the social functions and public impact of content.
However, no regulations currently govern digital broadcasting content. A proposed revision to the Broadcasting Law, discussed in 2024, has been delayed due to opposition. One key aspect of this revision was regulating digital broadcasting content.
In reality, digital broadcasting content is now the most accessed by the public. Reuters Institute 2025 data shows 79% of Indonesians use online and social media as their primary information source, compared to 44% relying on television. A 2026 We Are Social report indicates the average internet user spends 21 hours and 50 minutes weekly on social platforms and online video.
Unfortunately, much of this content lacks verifiable accuracy. Minister Meutya Hafid noted misinformation and disinformation are projected to be the second-largest global challenge in the next two years.
In Indonesia, the government estimates online fraud losses at approximately Rp9.1 trillion, not including the economic and social impacts of online gambling and digital pornography.