Indonesia Blocks Yahoo, Paypal, Steam, Dota2, Counterstrike, Epic Games
Indonesia has blocked search engine website Yahoo, payments firm Paypal and several gaming websites citing their failure to comply with licensing rules, according to a ministry official. The move has sparked a backlash on social media.
Registration is required under rules released in late November 2020 and gave authorities broad powers to compel platforms to disclose data of certain users, and take down content deemed unlawful or that "disturbs public order" within four hours if urgent and 24 hours if not.
Several tech companies had rushed to register in days leading to the deadline on Friday, including Alphabet Incorporated's Google, Meta Platforms Incorporated's Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and Amazon.com Incorporated.
Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, a senior official at Indonesia's Communications Ministry, said in a text message that the blocked websites include Yahoo, Paypal and gaming sites like Steam, Dota2, Counter-Strike and EpicGames, among others.
Paypal, Yahoo's parent private equity firm Apollo Global Management and U.S. game developer Valve Corporation, which runs Steam, Dota and Counter-Strike, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. EpicGames could not be reached for comment.
Hashtags like "BlokirKominfo" (block Communication Ministry), Epic Games and Paypal trended on Indonesian Twitter, with many writing messages criticising the government's move as hurting Indonesia's online gaming industry and freelance workers who use Paypal.
Pangerapan did not respond to a request for comment.
