TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Cybersecurity and digital forensics expert Alfons Tanujaya from Vaksincom urged the public not to rush to conclusions about the reciprocal trade agreement between the United States and Indonesia concerning personal data transfers.
He emphasized the need for the Indonesian government to clarify the details of the agreement.
"Let's just look at the details first and not comment too far before knowing the details," Alfons told Tempo on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
One provision in the agreement highlights Indonesia’s commitment to removing barriers that affect digital trade, services, and investment. This includes ensuring the ability to transfer personal data from Indonesia to the U.S.
The agreement also outlines Indonesia’s decision to eliminate tariffs under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) for intangible products and suspend import declaration obligations. The U.S. government views this as Indonesia’s support for a permanent moratorium on electronic transmission duties at the World Trade Organization (WTO), without conditions and to take effect immediately.
Alfons noted that the agreement carries both potential benefits and risks. "There are several implications, both positive and negative," he said.
He explained that the agreement could pave the way for cloud services to be used for storing banking data.
Previously, providers such as AWS, Google, and Microsoft were required to establish data centers in Indonesia. If the agreement is implemented, these companies could store data in the U.S. without building local infrastructure.
Alfons also said the policy could help lower data service costs.
"By allowing data to be stored or backed up in America, the costs are relatively lower than in Indonesia," he said.
However, he warned that the arrangement could diminish government control over personal data.
"Applications that were previously restricted, such as world.id, could once again manage the personal data of Indonesians, as long as that data is stored in the United States," he added.
As of this article's publication, the Ministry of Communication and Digital has yet to issue an official response. The ministry said it would release a statement soon.
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