Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association asks gov’t to block Google and Youtube due to porn and violence

The Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association (ICMI) yesterday made a request to the government to block search engine Google and video streaming service Youtube in Indonesia.

ICMI argued that pornography and violence are easily accessible on or through the two websites.

“These sites have been freely spreading pornographic and violent content without control. Google and Youtube have given a negative impact on Indonesia,” ICMI Secretary General Jafar Hafsah wrote in a press release, as quoted by Detik.

Jafar went on to argue that Google and Youtube have been selective in their content censorship.

“Some time ago Google and Youtube successfully blocked, erased, and cracked down on news and videos on radicalism. Why is it that now Google and Youtube are unwilling to erase pornographic and violent content?” the statement said.

Obviously, these websites are a huge part of people’s lives, which is why ICMI thinks there should be alternatives for them.

“I’m sure Indonesian innovators can create search engines like Google and Youtube that are better. With the government’s support, of course,” Jafar wrote.

We doubt that ICMI would get their way, given that there would probably be riots on the streets if the government takes away the fun, and not to mention the practicality of both Google and Youtube. But then again, the government has banned super popular websites like Reddit and Imgur in Indonesia.

Thankfully, the government was quick to quash any ICMI hopes of getting Google and Youtube banned. The Ministry of Communications and Information said doing so would be against democratic principles.

“As a democratic state, we can’t possibly block the sites. UUD 1945 Article 28 F guarantees freedom to information. We have to respect that,” said Ismail Cawidu, head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Communications and Information, as quoted by Kompas today.

Unfortunately, he did not go on to say that the same logic would be used to make Reddit and Imgur, as well as other blocked websites, available again in Indonesia.