It seems broadcast regulators are not giving up in their endless crusade against “negative content” from online streaming services, with the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) launching a fresh attack on Netflix and pals.
In a statement published on Tuesday, KPI says it is urging the Information and Communications Ministry (Kominfo) to block foreign over-the-top (OTT) media services like Netflix as they continue to stream content featuring LGBT elements, violence, and pornography, which are not compatible with Indonesian values.
“Until today those negative content are still available. Maybe because there is no stern policy forcing foreign OTT services to bow down to Indonesian regulations,” KPI Deputy Chairman Mulyo Hadi Purnomo said.
Hadi added that Indonesia’s broadcast and ITE laws must be revised so OTT services fall under their jurisdiction.
Of course, this may be all bark and no bite as regulators have tried to ban Netflix and other streaming platforms before over negative content. Previous calls went largely unheeded, as Netflix is still available in Indonesia and it doesn’t self-censor its adult content the way mainstream media companies do. We hope it will never get to that.
If you’re still worried about the so-called negative content on Netflix, avoiding them is as easy as choosing something else to watch from the service’s vast content library. If it’s your children you’re concerned about, then Netflix, like many other streaming services, has parental controls in place.
