BlackBerry Maker Given Two Weeks to Halt Porn Access in Indonesia (or Risk Being Shut Down)

[Turborama]

Source: Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. Communications and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring has set a fresh deadline for the BlackBerry manufacturer to block access to pornography sites on the smartphone.

He gave representatives from the Indonesian office of Research in Motion, the Canadian manufacturer of BlackBerry, a two-week deadline to restrict access to pornographic Web sites or risk being shut down.

“We have repeatedly asked them to do it and we have given them some time. If they keep delaying, we will shut down their operation here because they fail to comply with our laws,” Tifatul said.

The ministry has conducted a series of meetings with RIM’s representatives to demand that the company establish a database center and server in Indonesia in order to satisfy the country’s legal requirements. Establishing the center is aimed at allowing authorities to conduct lawful interceptions of e-mail and other messages.

Read more: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/blackberry-maker-given-two-weeks-to-halt-porn-access-in-indonesia/415763

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Interesting reactions from the papers' readers on the left of the article.

A bit of background into the massive Blackberry market in Indonesia...

Indonesia finally catches up with the rest of the world! (iPad & iPhone 4 now available)
by Vishnu Mahmud, Indonesia

It took nearly a year, but finally Indonesians can officially buy the Apple iPhone 4 and the iPad! The iPhone 4 is being sold officially by Telkomsel, with the bundle plan for a relatively low cost (in the short term) price that includes data, text and data, depending on the price.

Indonesia has always been a finicky market compared to others because it can be rather unpredictable. Blackberry is the apparent king here, due to no small part played by the Blackberry Messenger. BBM allows you to text people for hours non-stop, for free, which is possibly why everyone told their friends to jump on the BB bandwagon! We can chat! For hours! For Free!!

The iPhone doesn't really have that at the moment. Although it does have PingChat, it will be charged from the data plan. Still, there are quite a few iPhone renegades in Jakarta, fighting against the sea of Blackberry conformity.

With an even more stronger presence, the iPad is already the "it" gadget in Indonesia, long before its official launch. Those lucky enough to travel overseas, quickly picked up the popular tablet, making it the most wanted device for 2010. Although now there are the Samsung Galaxy Tab and other Android devices trying to break through the market, the iPad is now available in local Apple Stores at a very competitive price, especially compared to the one overseas.

More: http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/digerati-indonesia/post.htm?id=63022307&scid=rvhm_ms

[tomm2thumbs]

1. state officials want to be the only ones who can 'partake' of such privileges

[BetsysGhost]

2. good

[wuushew]

3. Why?

:shrug:

[neverforget]

4. censorship is cool

:sarcasm:

[BetsysGhost]

6. oh, but

I am very cool.

Wait till you get to know me! :hi:

[saras]

5. Not even in the 20th century yet

"Indonesia finally catches up with the rest of the world!"

No, they haven't.

Or they'd understand that A. pornography has driven the expansion of every form of media since clay sculptures of the Venus of Willendorf, B. censorship produces a large, profitable police state, but doesn't actually stop people from getting hold of the censored material, and C. it's the friggin' INTERNET. It's access to the whole world, not just local culture and values.