Deadly unrest in Indonesia prompts TikTok, Instagram to halt Live, raising digital rights concerns

Both TikTok and Instagram have temporarily switched off their livestreaming features in Indonesia as nationwide protests against parliament escalated into deadly unrest and arson attacks, raising digital rights concerns among the public and NGOs.

TikTok said the pause would last several days and framed it as a safety step while violence simmers across multiple cities. “In light of the increasing violence in protests in Indonesia, we are taking additional security measures to keep TikTok a safe and civil space. As part of this measure, we are voluntarily suspending the TikTok LIVE feature for the next few days in Indonesia,” a statement read.

The decision comes as protests over lawmakers’ allowances, perks, and contentious statements have tipped into the most severe public order crisis of President Prabowo Subianto’s term. Demonstrations surged after a ride-hailing driver was fatally struck by a police tactical vehicle during a rally in Jakarta late last week, fuelling riots, looting and attacks on officials’ homes.

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Indonesia’s Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, welcomed the livestreaming restrictions but emphasised they should remain temporary. “We have received TikTok’s notification regarding the voluntary closure of its live feature, and we hope this will not last long,” she said after a cabinet meeting.

What’s going on in Indonesia

Protests erupted across Indonesia after reports revealed that all 580 lawmakers were receiving generous housing allowances - around IDR 50 million (roughly US$3,000) per month - alongside their salaries and other perks. The public outcry was intensified by sometimes incendiary remarks from parliament, further igniting frustration over widespread inequality and economic hardship.

Tensions boiled over when a 21-year-old ride-hailing driver, Affan Kurniawan, was tragically run over by an armoured police vehicle during a demonstration in Jakarta. His death - captured on video - sparked outrage nationwide, triggering more widespread unrest across cities such as Surabaya, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Makassar, and Medan.

The protests escalated into deadly clashes. As of the latest reports, six people had died amid demonstrations and attacks on public buildings. Police responded with tear gas, water cannons, an electricity cut-off, and mass arrests, while several lawmakers reportedly travelled abroad.

In response, President Prabowo announced the revocation of several parliamentary perks as a measure to quell growing public anger. Several controversial lawmakers were also suspended. Officials condemned the attacks on public buildings, with the president cautioning that parts of the unrest were “bordering on treason.” Yet doubts have been raised over whether protesters were behind every arson attack, amid suspicions of provocation or infiltration.

Social media platforms under pressure

Social media has been at the centre of the unrest. Videos of police violence, including the killing of Kurniawan, spread rapidly across platforms such as TikTok, X, and Instagram, fuelling public anger and drawing global attention.

Officials insisted the government had no role in restricting social media features, framing the move as a voluntary safeguard. Yet, while the public widely denounced it as censorship, the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry maintained that its prior summons of platforms such as TikTok and Meta was not about protest censorship but general content moderation.

The abrupt shutdown of livestreaming has disrupted online sellers who depend on TikTok and Instagram Live for daily sales. Around 80% of sales on TikTok Shop Indonesia occur through the livestreaming feature. Meanwhile, Indonesia and Thailand are the largest contributors to TikTok Shop transactions in Southeast Asia, according to a TMO Group report last year.

Indonesia is one of TikTok’s largest markets globally, with over 100 million accounts in the country. The platform said it would continue to remove posts that breach its community guidelines during the suspension.

The Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) highlighted reported instances of digital repression during the recent demonstrations, pointing to practices of over-moderation of content on several social media platforms, including Meta, TikTok, and YouTube. The network urged both authorities and social media companies to uphold human rights and cease content moderation or feature restrictions that undermine them.

In one instance, student activist Khariq Anhar from Riau University, who manages the social media account Aliansi Mahasiswa Penggugat (AMP), was criminalised under the Electronic Information and Transactions Law. Anhar was reportedly arrested at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after posting on AMP’s Instagram account regarding the protests.

SAFEnet also reported that internet and information access was disrupted by content moderation, feature restrictions, and electricity blackouts in protest hubs such as Jakarta and Bandung. The group also cited suspected sabotage of server optic cables, which threatened to disrupt networks and communication flows. These incidents mirrored patterns of internet restrictions seen in past demonstrations.

“These protests have not only been marked by alleged human rights violations against its participants but have also resulted in widespread infringements on the digital rights of internet users across the country,” SAFEnet said. “On-the-ground developments suggest troubling practices by both government authorities and social media platforms that undermine the principles of free expression in digital spaces.”

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