Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Netflix faces unexpected obstacle in Indonesia, gets blocked by largest telco

By

netflix downloads for offline viewing theaters should stop boycotting
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Building a global TV network isn’t without its challenges. Netflix has expanded into Indonesia, but the streaming service was blocked Wednesday by the country’s largest telecom provider, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The telco, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk., also known as Telkom, has reportedly blocked access to Netflix across all of its platforms. The decision, according to the majority state-owned company, was due to the fact that Netflix needed a permit to operate in Indonesia as a content provider and that it considers some of the streamer’s content objectionable. Telkom argued that Netflix’s content should have to be approved by the country’s censor board, referencing a 2009 law that applies to film.

Recommended Videos

“Netflix’s content should adjust to regulations in Indonesia,” said Arif Prabowo, Telkom’s vice president for corporate communications, in a statement. “We take this step to protect the Indonesian people.”

Related

Be that as it may, it’s hard to imagine that the decision wasn’t also influenced by a desire to protect the company’s own business interests. Given that Telkom is the owner of a video on-demand service called UseeTV, blocking Netflix now seems like a defensive maneuver. Whatever Telkom’s motivation, though, the move has raised larger questions about how Indonesia will regulate Internet content.

Netflix has indicated that it is willing to adhere to Indonesia’s laws and regulations, but it believes that it doesn’t have to follow the same procedures as cable networks. A Netflix spokeswoman explained the distinction, calling the company “an Internet television network, not a traditional broadcaster.”

The company may be clear on how it defines itself, but the Indonesian government has yet to determine how its regulations will apply.

“We don’t have a regulation yet for ‘over-the-top’ content providers such as Netflix,” said Minister of Information and Communication Technology Rudiantara, referring to content delivered online. “These business models are often ahead of the regulation.”

The government will make decisions that will likely impact Netflix’s fate within the country some time in February. The decision of whether or not to restrict access will be a major one, considering that Indonesia’s population is the fourth largest in the world.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephanie Topacio Long
Stephanie Topacio Long
Contributor
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
One day you might get emergency alerts through Netflix and Spotify
Hawaii

A bipartisan bill was recently reintroduced in the Senate to require audio and video streaming services to display emergency alerts like those for hurricanes and tornadoes while you’re watching or listening to them.
The bill, which was introduced by U.S. senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and John Thune (R-S.D.), was originally introduced by the senators last year after a false missile alert text was inadvertently sent out in Hawaii.
Called the Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act, the legislation’s goal is to ensure that more people are able to receive emergency alerts.
“When a missile alert went out across Hawaii last year, some people never got the message on their phones, while others missed it on their TVs and radios. Even though it was a false alarm, the missile alert exposed real flaws in the way people receive emergency alerts,” Schatz, the lead Democrat on the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, said in a prepared statement. “Our bill fixes a number of important problems with the system responsible for delivering emergency alerts. In a real emergency, these alerts can save lives so we have to do everything we can to get it right.”
According to a blog post on Schatz’s site, the READI Act would ultimately:
•Ensure more people receive emergency alerts by eliminating the option to opt-out of receiving certain federal alerts, including missile alerts, on mobile phones;
•Require active alerts issued by the President or FEMA to be repeated. Currently, alerts on TV or radio may only be played once;
•Explore establishing a system to offer emergency alerts to audio and video online streaming services, such as Netflix and Spotify;
•Encourage State Emergency Communications Committees to periodically review and update their State Emergency Alert System Plans, which are often out of date;
•Compel FEMA to create best practices for state, tribal, and local governments to use for issuing alerts, avoiding false alerts, and retracting false alerts if they occur, as well as for alert origination training and plans for officials to contact each other and federal officials during emergencies; and
•Establish a reporting system for false alerts so the FCC can track when they occur and examine their causes.
In addition to the Senate bill, companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.), Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawai‘i), Pete Olson (R-Texas), and Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.). The READI Act is supported by NCTA -- The Internet and Television Association, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the Internet Association, CTIA -- The Wireless Association, and the Wireless Infrastructure Association.

Read more
These bone conduction headphones just got a $40 discount
A runner wearing the Shokz OpenRun Pro bone conduction headphones.

If nothing stands out among the headphone deals that you've come across, you may want to try bone conduction headphones. If you're interested, you're in luck because the Shokz OpenRun Pro, originally priced at $180, are on sale from Best Buy for a more affordable $140. That's amazing value for these bone conduction headphones, but you need to hurry with your purchase if you want to take advantage of the $40 discount. The offer is available for now, but we're not sure how much time is remaining before it gets taken down.

Why you should buy the Shokz OpenRun Pro bone conduction headphones
Unlike traditional headphones that cover your ears and blast sound waves through your eardrums, bone conduction headphones like the Shokz OpenRun Pro use transducers that sit next to your ears to send vibrations through your cheekbones and deliver sound directly to your inner ear, according to our guide on how do bone conduction headphones work. The benefits of this technology include leaving your ears open so you can still hear what's going on around you such as when you're commuting or working in the office, and improved stability as the Shokz OpenRun Pro features a wraparound titanium frame that stays in place compared to the bands of traditional headphones.

Read more
The best Samsung The Frame TV deals — from just $600
Samsung's 65-inch Class 'The Frame' QLED 4K Smart TV displaying a famous oil painting.

One of the more unique TVs out there is The Frame TV by Samsung. It’s a fan favorite designed to slip anonymously into almost an interior design style, as it’s made to seem as much like a piece of art as a piece of tech. The Frame often places among the best TVs and offers superior image quality with QLED picture technology. More recently The Frame is a good TV lineup to turn to if you’re looking for some savings, as it also often appears among the best TV deals and QLED TV deals. Deals are currently taking place on multiple sizes of The Frame TV as part of Samsung TV deals and Best Buy TV deals, and we’ve pieced them all together below.
Today's best Samsung The Frame TV deals

If you're looking to save big on Samsung's iconic The Frame TV, you've come to the right place. Here are all the best deals available:

Read more