RPF_9239_04_23

Cambridge International AS & A Level 9239/04 Global Perspectives & Research

Research Proposal Form
Each candidate must complete a research proposal form, and this must be reviewed internally by the centre. The
research proposal is not externally marked by Cambridge International, but it must be submitted with the materials sent
for assessment.

Centre Centre
number name

Candidate Candidate Ryan Wilbert Gunawan

number name

Exam series Year

What is the research question you have decided on?

Should Indonesian government remove internet restrictions?

Explain the debate which you will be addressing in order to answer your question.

In the modern era, which continues to develop rapidly, it creates opportunities for the internet, which is always as well
developed as possible to help and make things easier for humans. The internet provides unlimited information, giving
space to communicate and obtain information quickly and anywhere.

The sophistication of internet technology certainly has many positive impacts for users such as facilitating access to
obtaining information in real time, obtaining information that is not broadcast on television or radio, wide range of
information, learning to do hobbies through internet media.

However, in addition to the positive impact, it is also accompanied by negative impacts from the emergence of the
internet, such as the appearance of hoax news, abuse of the internet as a medium for pornographic content, fraud,
piracy and many other cybercrimes. In Indonesia itself, to deal with various crimes on the internet, be it the
government, of course, provide action in the form of laws to restrictions on access to anticipate and reduce internet
crime.

One example of a case of internet restriction that has occurred in Indonesia was on May-22-2019 during a
demonstration against the election results which forced the government to place restrictions on several social media
features such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp at that time in the form of limiting image access. As well
as videos to avoid riots on social media related to hoax news aimed at national security.

However, at that time, although some elements were able to stop the chaos caused by social media, it did not provide
a solution because besides that, there were other members of the general public who were harmed by this internet
restriction, so that other social media activities, such as the press, were limited in gathering information and updating.
In terms of education or learning, so that the economic sector experiences disruption to these limitations.

At that time, many Indonesian people used VPN to be able to access features that were being restricted and of course
complained about the government at that time as one of the rights of citizens to obtain internet freedom, bearing in
mind that not all people only use the internet for political interests but other activities.

Not only that, at another time the Indonesian government had cut off and slowed down the internet in Papua for
several days in September and August 2019 for reasons that were almost similar to the restrictions following the
 demonstration against the May 22 election results. The government’s goal of limiting the internet in Papua is to
suppress information about “Papuan racism” that had occurred in Surabaya.

The government, as a party that is pro for imposing internet restrictions, even after there are contras from many
elements of society, still maintains reasons why restrictive measures like this need to be continued. According to
Jokowi, as the president of Indonesia, these restrictions were carried out for the good and common interest. Not only
that, the Minister of Communication and Informatics, Rudiantara, also emphasized that a decision like this had
certainly gone through a lot of careful consideration with various parties for the purpose of national security, especially
in the case of restrictions in Papua from September to August, namely to stem hoax news that might spread so that it
does not have the potential to exacerbate the situation regarding the unrest and order in the people of West Papua.
According to Jusuf Kalla as the Vice President at the time, this internet restriction policy was far better implemented
and did not harm the community more because it did not impose restrictions in the form of a total internet shutdown,
but only limited the feature of sending images alone and did not have a serious impact on other sectors such as
economic sector. So, the government still doesn't agree with the many complaints from the public for the abolition of
this kind of internet removal policy as long as the initial goal is clear in the interests of national security and not for
other reasons.

Meanwhile, other parties who are against the restriction policy by the Indonesian government, such as the
Ombudsman, still ask the Ministry of Communication and Informatics to review this kind of policy. According to the
Ombudsman, many people submit complaints not only limited to the economic sector but also social to public services
because free internet access as long as it is intended for things that do not violate laws related to social media is the
right of all Papuans and the rights of all Indonesian citizens. In addition, the Director of SAFE Net gave an assessment
regarding the legal basis which is still relatively weak because it is contrary to the 1945 Constitution where citizens
have the right to express and receive information. Where the reference to this article on internet restrictions is Article
40 of the ITE Law with the aim of protecting the public, but according to Damar as the director of SAFE Net, the level of
importance or urgency of the situation must be considered and there is also no detailed law that discusses internet
restrictions in the form of blocking as happened in Papua. So that those who are against Internet restrictions carried
out by the Indonesian government ask for a review of the same policy in the future, and do not agree if in the future
the same action will be implemented again.

Is the action to limit and cut off the internet to anticipate all hoax news and cybercrime on social media is the right
policy or is it to silence informative people in the midst of a democracy because the government seems to generalize
information that will be spread on the internet, even though it is very possible when an incident occurs? A similar way
of reducing hoax information is by publishing and issuing various factual content not limited to cutting off or slowing
down the internet which affects many sectors.

In 40 paragraphs (2a) and (2b) of the ITE Law it contains the government’s authority to limit or cut off access to
electronic information or electronic documents that violate the law, so for the act of terminating the internet, limiting
access to social media features to slowing down access in the two cases above is actions that might very well raise
questions as to whether there are other motives from the government and should future policies like those that have
occurred above be abolished.

Outline and explain the key concepts which are relevant to the question.

Internet restrictions are efforts made by the world government and Indonesia to regulate the internet world according
to applicable laws and regulations that prioritize the needs and security of citizens. However, is the restriction policy
implemented by the Indonesian government in accordance with applicable law or should it be abolished in the future
because it violates human rights and is inefficient.

List the main sources you have identified so far, and explain how you will be using them.
Adhari. A, Sitabuana T.H, Srihandayani. L, (2021), Kebijakan Pembatasan Internet di Indonesia: Perspektif Negara
Hukum, Hak Asasi Manusia, dan Kajian Perbandingan. Jurnal Konstitusi, Volume 18, Nomor 2, Juni 2021
https://jurnalkonstitusi.mkri.id/index.php/jk/article/download/1821/pdf

Budiansyah. A, (2019) Ricuh Tolak Hasil Pemilu, Akses ke WhatsApp & Medsos Dibatasi
https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/tech/20200101070554-37-126827/ricuh-tolak-hasil-pemilu-akses-ke-whatsapp-
medsos-dibatasi

Utama. A, (2021) Papua: Jaringan internet di provinsi paling timur terputus akibat faktor alam?
https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/indonesia-57171083

Lie. A, (2019) Pro Kontra Pembatasan Internet di Papua: Ombudsman Minta Evaluasi, Pemerintah Menilai demi
Kebaikan

https://ombudsman.go.id/pengumuman/r/pro-kontra-pembatasan-internet-di-papua-ombudsman-minta-evaluasi-
pemerintah-menilai-demi-kebaikan

In this proposal I use 3 sources as a reference,

the first is a journal that discusses internet restrictions in Indonesia,
the second is news articles regarding cases of restrictions on social media use due to demonstrations against election
results on May-22-2019,
the third is news articles on cases of internet restrictions in Papua in 2019 ago.

I link the two cases whether the implementation complies with the law regarding internet restriction regulations in
Indonesia or not.

Furthermore, the fourth source contains pros and cons opinions that disagree and will not act on internet restrictions
in Indonesia. I use this source as a reference to see opinions from opposing parties in debating the policy of removing
or reviewing internet restrictions that occur in Indonesia. From the sources I have gathered.

So that we can see whether the government’s policies in dealing with the two cases are appropriate or not, and
whether in the future internet restrictions like this by the government can still be re-done or should be abolished.
Teacher feedback

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