Indonesia said on Thursday that a choice by the country’s largest telecommunications provider to dam Netflix might be reversed if the worldwide video streaming giant complied with local laws, especially on “pornography” and “radicalism.”
Wednesday’s decision to dam access to Netflix comes just weeks after the California-based company announced it was expanding its web TV services to 130 recent markets, including Indonesia.
State-owned Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) said Netflix did not comply with existing regulations, reminiscent of obtaining permission to operate locally and opening an office within the country – complaints echoed by officials.
Concerns that movies hosted by Netflix could escape the scrutiny of the Indonesian Film Censorship Board also look like a driving force behind the ban.
Ministry spokesman Ismail Cawidu said web corporations were banned from broadcasting content contrary to the “public interest,” and Netflix was no exception.
They should follow the foundations. No porn, no radicalism and no copyright infringement
“They have to follow the rules. No porn, no radicalism and no copyright infringement,” he said.
“We informed them some time ago and we are still waiting for Netflix to respond.”
All movies shown in Indonesia are first approved by the Film Censorship Board and offensive parts are removed.
READ MORE: Netflix is now available in Hong Kong and almost in all places – except mainland China
Pornographic web sites are also blocked, and the communications ministry routinely shuts down blogs and other online content deemed extremist or inappropriate.
Netflix is not the primary web company to face regulatory hurdles in Indonesia, with banned video-sharing site Vimeo and ride-sharing service Uber struggling to ascertain themselves in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
But it is a blow to the streaming pioneer, which boasts 70 million subscribers and only this month announced its expansion into 130 recent markets with the birth of a brand new global web TV network.
Telkom and government officials say the block is temporary and can be lifted if Netflix obtains the required permits and agrees to censorship requirements.
Just comply and we’ll reopen access
READ MORE: Pulling the plug: Netflix says it’ll block proxy access to shows not available in Hong Kong
“Just comply and we will reopen access,” said Telkom spokesman Arif Prabowo.
“We’re not talking about business, it’s just a matter of complying with the law.”
Netflix couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
On Thursday, some Telkom competitors took advantage of the ban by promoting their Netflix packages in an try and lure Telkom customers with the move.
“I felt cheated,” said Devi Asmarani, a author from Jakarta, who bought a brand new TV two weeks ago specifically to enjoy Netflix.
“It was great for two weeks, then suddenly it wasn’t.”
