Not Oke: Social media live streaming may be banned in Indonesia if court approves network’s broadcast judicial review

Instagram icon on a phone. Photo: Luke Van Zyl/unsplash
Instagram icon on a phone. Photo: Luke Van Zyl/unsplash

Want to start a live video stream on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube? The very harmless act may require a permit if Indonesia’s Constitutional Court (MK) approves a judicial review on broadcast law filed by one of the country’s leading TV networks.

In May, RCTI and iNews, both of which are owned by the conglomerate MNC Group, filed a judicial review with MK demanding revisions to Law No. 32/2002 on Broadcast to make OTT media services like Netflix and YouTube be subject to the same regulations as traditional broadcast media.

In a virtual hearing yesterday, the Information and Communications Ministry (Kominfo) outlined a possible outrageous implication should the judicial review be granted.

“The broadening of the definition of broadcast would categorize Instagram TV, Instagram Live, Facebook Live, Youtube Live, and all other audiovisual content streaming on social media as broadcast institutions that require permits,” Kominfo Director General of Post and Informatics Management Ahmad M Ramli said at the hearing.

“That means we would have to shut them down if they don’t apply for permits.”

Ramli argued that the solution is not in revising the existing broadcast law, rather the creation of new regulations governing internet-based media services.

If the judicial review were to come to pass, RCTI’s reputation would, naturally, be degraded to become the exact opposite of its “RCTI Oke” (RCTI Okay) slogan. The news channel has already shot to the top on Twitter’s trending topics this afternoon, and not in a good way by any means.

https://twitter.com/noralouu/status/1298896720940523522?s=20

https://twitter.com/amewolfie/status/1298908808559751168?s=20

 

RCTI has yet to release a public statement regarding the public outrage over its judicial review.

In the meantime, do live stream away before live streaming is banned in Indonesia.

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