SAFEnet Slams Indonesia's Block on Archive.org as Digital Rights Violation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Directorate General of Digital Space Supervision at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Technology (Komdigi) has confirmed the blocking of the website Archive.org. The move, described as temporary, targets a site widely known for providing historical digital archives and documentation.

According to the government, the decision was made after discovering content on Archive.org related to online gambling and pornography.

“Yes, we blocked it while waiting for a response from archive.org,” said Alexander Sabar, Director General of Digital Space Supervision, when contacted on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

In response, the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet), a civil society organization advocating for digital rights, condemned the block, calling it another example in a growing list of digital rights violations in Indonesia. They argued that the action contradicts democratic values and international human rights principles.

In a written statement, SAFEnet cited Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which guarantees the right to freedom of opinion and expression. “This right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” the group wrote on its website, Thursday, May 29, 2025.

SAFEnet also noted that the blocking violates UN Human Rights Council Resolution A/HRC/RES/20/8 on the promotion and protection of human rights on the internet. The resolution emphasizes that rights protected offline must also be safeguarded online, especially freedom of expression across borders and through chosen media.

“Any form of restriction on human rights, including access to information, must pass a three-part test: legality, necessity and proportionality, and a legitimate aim,” SAFEnet added. “In the case of archive.org, we question the true motive behind the government’s action. Archive.org is not a harmful site. It serves to promote rights like access to education.”

SAFEnet described the issue as systemic, citing repeated cases of wrongful website blocking due to automated systems and unchecked censorship. This trend, they argue, is supported by regulations such as Ministry Regulation No. 5/2020 on Private Electronic System Providers (PSE) and Regulation No. 10/2021.

According to the group, users affected by such blocks are often forced to go public or make their case viral in order to prompt action. SAFEnet criticized the government's lack of transparency, noting that authorities often restore access without issuing apologies or evaluating the economic and social impact.

“The blocking of Archive.org, along with many other websites and digital services, shows a consistent pattern of digital authoritarianism that undermines public access to information,” SAFEnet stated.

“Censorship and arbitrary blocking run counter to the principles of digital democracy and violate fundamental digital rights.”

Dinda Shabrina contributed to the writing of this article.

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