Indonesia Issues Stern Warning to Meta Over Online Gambling and Disinformation

Indonesia’s communications ministry has issued a stern warning to Meta Platforms Inc. over what it describes as insufficient action against the spread of online gambling, disinformation, and harmful content across its social media platforms.

The warning followed an unannounced visit on Wednesday by Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Affairs Minister, Meutya Hafid, to Meta’s operational office in Jakarta. During the visit, the minister raised concerns about Meta’s level of compliance with Indonesian regulations governing digital content and platform accountability.

According to the ministry, Meta has not done enough to address harmful material circulating on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Authorities stated that the company had acted on only 28.47% of content flagged for issues related to online gambling and disinformation. The government considers this response rate inadequate given the scale of harmful content affecting Indonesian users.

Minister Hafid emphasized that the spread of disinformation, defamatory material, and hate speech poses serious risks to public safety and social stability. She said such content can influence public opinion, create social divisions, and threaten lives if left unchecked. The government is therefore pushing technology companies to take stronger action to moderate and remove illegal or harmful posts.

Indonesia’s communications ministry has urged Meta to significantly improve its content moderation systems. Officials want the company to accelerate the removal of illegal gambling promotions, false information, and other forms of harmful online material that violate the country’s digital regulations.

The latest warning highlights Indonesia’s growing efforts to regulate major technology platforms and ensure compliance with local laws. Authorities have been increasingly concerned about the role social media platforms play in spreading misleading information and illegal activities online.

Last year, the ministry summoned representatives from Meta and several other social media companies to address the growing issue of disinformation. At that time, the government instructed digital platforms to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and enhance moderation efforts to prevent the spread of harmful content.

The government’s latest warning signals that Indonesia will continue to closely monitor global tech companies operating within its digital ecosystem and expects stricter enforcement of its online content policies.