Freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, and freedom of the press are fundamental human rights protected by Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations.
The existence of online media in Indonesia is part of these freedoms and must be exercised responsibly within the framework of journalistic ethics and professional conduct.
Given the unique characteristics of digital media, specific guidelines are required to ensure that online media operate professionally and in compliance with Law No. 40 of 1999 concerning the Press and the Journalistic Code of Ethics.
Therefore, the Press Council, together with press organizations, online media managers, and the public, has established the following Guidelines for Online Media Publishing:
1. Scope
a. Online media refers to any media outlet that utilizes the internet as its platform, performs journalistic activities, and meets the requirements of the Press Law and the Press Company Standards set by the Press Council.
b. User-generated content (UGC) refers to any content created and/or published by users of an online medium, including articles, images, comments, audio, videos, and other uploaded materials attached to the media, such as blogs, forums, or reader responses.
2. Verification and Balance of News
a. In principle, every news item must go through verification.
b. News that could potentially harm others must include verification in the same report to maintain accuracy and balance.
c. Exceptions may apply under the following conditions:
-
The news carries urgent public interest.
-
The source of the news is credible, competent, and clearly identified.
-
The subject of the news cannot be reached or interviewed.
-
The media must include a statement at the end of the article (in italics) indicating that further verification is still being pursued as soon as possible.
d. Once verification is obtained, the updated information must be added to the revised version of the article, along with a link to the earlier unverified report.
3. User-Generated Content
a. Online media must clearly display terms and conditions for user-generated content that comply with the Press Law and the Journalistic Code of Ethics.
b. Users must register and log in before publishing any form of user-generated content.
c. Registered users must agree in writing that their content will not:
-
Contain false, defamatory, obscene, or violent material.
-
Contain prejudice, hatred, or incitement related to ethnicity, religion, race, or intergroup relations (SARA).
-
Contain discrimination or degrading remarks toward individuals based on gender, language, physical or mental condition, or social status.
d. Online media have full authority to edit or remove any user content that violates these rules.
e. A mechanism must be provided to report user-generated content that violates these provisions, easily accessible to readers.
f. The media must promptly edit, delete, or correct any reported user content that violates these rules, no later than 2 × 24 hours after receiving the report.
g. Online media that comply with these provisions are not liable for user-generated content that violates these terms.
h. However, media will be held responsible if they fail to act after the given timeframe.
4. Corrections and Right of Reply
a. Corrections and rights of reply follow the Press Law, the Journalistic Code of Ethics, and the Press Council’s Right of Reply Guidelines.
b. Each correction or right of reply must be linked to the original article.
c. Every correction or right of reply must include the time and date of publication.
d. If an article is republished by another online media outlet:
-
The responsibility of the original media is limited to the version published under its authority.
-
Any corrections made by the original media must also be applied by other media that republish it.
-
Media that fail to correct republished content are fully responsible for any legal consequences.
e. According to the Press Law, online media that refuse to accommodate the right of reply may face a maximum fine of IDR 500,000,000 (five hundred million rupiah).
5. Retraction of News
a. Published news may not be retracted due to external censorship, except for reasons involving ethnicity, religion, morality, child protection, victim trauma, or other considerations determined by the Press Council.
b. Other media must follow retractions made by the original publisher.
c. Any retraction must include an explanation of the reason and be made public.
6. Advertising
a. Online media must clearly distinguish between editorial content and advertisements.
b. Any paid or sponsored content must be clearly labeled with “advertorial,” “advertisement,” “ads,” “sponsored,” or other similar terms that indicate commercial material.
7. Copyright
Online media must respect intellectual property rights in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
8. Publication of These Guidelines
Every online media outlet must clearly display these Online Media Publishing Guidelines on its platform.
9. Dispute Resolution
Any disputes related to the implementation of these guidelines shall be resolved by the Press Council as the final authority.
Jakarta, February 3, 2012
This guideline was jointly signed by the Indonesian Press Council and representatives of the press community.