Skip to main content

Indonesia blocks Yahoo, Paypal, gaming websites over licence breaches.




Indonesia has blocked search engine website Yahoo, payments firm PayPal (PYPL.O) and several gaming websites due to failure to comply with licensing rules, an official said on Saturday, sparking a backlash on social media.


Registration is required under rules released in late November 2020 and will give authorities broad powers to compel platforms to disclose data of certain users, and take down content deemed unlawful or that "disturbs public order" within four hours if urgent and 24 hours if not. read more


Several tech companies had rushed to register in days leading up to the deadline, which had been extended until Friday, including Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O), Meta Platforms Inc's (META.O) Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O). read more


Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, a senior official at Indonesia's Communications Ministry, said in a text message websites that have been blocked include Yahoo, PayPal and gaming sites like Steam, Dota2, Counter-Strike and EpicGames, among others.


PayPal, Yahoo's parent private equity firm Apollo Global Management and U.S. game developer Valve Corporation, which runs Steam, Dota and Counter-Strike, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. EpicGames could not be reached for comment.


Hashtags like "BlokirKominfo" (block Communication Ministry), Epic Games and PayPal trended on Indonesian Twitter, with many writing messages criticising the government's move as hurting Indonesia's online gaming industry and freelance workers who use PayPal.


Pangerapan said the government will find a solution for people to withdraw their deposits from PayPal, which may include reopening access to its website for a short period, he told Metro TV.


Authorities would unblock the websites if they comply with registration rules, he said, defending the measure as protection for Indonesian internet users.


With an estimated 191 million internet users and a young, social-media savvy population, the Southeast Asian nation is a significant market for a host of tech platforms.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

More Than 100 Angry Youths Chased Maracha District Officials Out of Site Meeting Over Corruption.

📸: Some of the angry Youths displaying placards as others walked in to stop the ongoing meeting by Maracha District officials. Story by Osuta Yusuf. Maracha District. 3-February-2025. 📸: Kololo Public Seed Secondary School whose construction project has again stalled. Photo by Osuta Yusuf, Our News Reporter. The angry youths from Vurra Parish, Tara Sub-county in Maracha East constituency, Maracha District have on Monday 3-Feb-2025 chased the entire Maracha District officials out of a site meeting in Kololo Seed Secondary over allegations of corruption stemming from the stalled seed school construction project. Key Maracha District officials who went for the site meeting on Monday 3-Feb-2025 include, the Security department headed by the deputy RDC Koliba Monica Kotevu and Assistant RDC Collins Dramani, the LC5 Chairperson Hon Obitre Stephen together with his DEC Councilors, the accounting  / technical department headed by the CAO Mr Olila Patrick, the Engi...

Escaped Murder Suspect Finally Arrested in Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital, Yumbe District.

Story by Osuta Yusuf. 19-November-2024. 📸: Eyotre Kennedy handcuffed on bed while receiving medication this morning at Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital in Yumbe District. Eyotre Kennedy originating from Etoko village, Nyoroo Parish, Nyadri Sub-county in Maracha District who has for many years been terrorizing residents in his village, has finally been arrested this Monday morning 19-November-2024 while receiving treatment at Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital in Yumbe District following injuries he sustained from Theft mission on Saturday night 16-November-2024 in Owapi village, Azapi parish in Odupi Sub-county, Terego East Constituency in Terego District. Click here on the link  https://informationispowah.blogspot.com/2024/11/fugitive-who-chopped-3-people-killed.html   to read the story on his Theft of Goats in Terego. Upon getting cut on the finger and leg by the Mob as he attempted to fight and overpower owner of the goats he attempted to steal on Saturday night ...

41-Years-Old Man Digs His Own Grave in Maracha District.

Story by Osuta Yusuf.  Maracha District.  📸: The grave been dug by Mr Opiga Michael, a victim of frustration. Photo taken by Osuta Yusuf , on Wednesday 11-September-2024. The residents of Ebapi village, Baria Parish in Nyadri Sub-county, Maracha east constituency, Maracha District are in shock after a 41 year old man started digging his own grave. The man, identified as Mr Opiga Michael, who seems to be frustrated over some challenges in life, started digging his own grave on Tuesday 10-September-2024 until he was stopped by the elders in Nyaria clan. 📸: Opiga Michael, the Victim of Frustration. Photo by Osuta Yusuf , Information is Power. While speaking to our reporter on Wednesday evening 11-September-2024, Mr Opiga Michael, said, his main plan  was to commit suicide after finishing digging the grave for burying himself, explained that, he feels frustrated, abandoned and hated by his own clan people, whom he accused of piling lies against him a...