Indonesia’s relationship with TikTok, the wildly popular social media app owned by China’s ByteDance, has taken several dramatic turns in recent days, highlighting the country’s ongoing struggle to balance digital innovation, public safety, and freedom of expression. The government’s temporary suspension of TikTok’s operating license—swiftly imposed and then just as quickly revoked—has left users, digital rights advocates, and businesses across the archipelago wondering what comes next for one of their favorite platforms.
The saga began on October 3, 2025, when Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) announced it was suspending TikTok’s local operating license. The reason? TikTok had failed to provide full data on its livestreaming activities during a period of nationwide unrest in late August. According to Komdigi spokesperson Alexander Sabar, the government had requested detailed information about TikTok Live broadcasts between August 23 and August 30—days marked by deadly protests against lawmakers’ privileges and police brutality that left ten people dead. The ministry specifically wanted to know about traffic and monetization, suspecting that some streamers were receiving donations from online casino operators and potentially promoting “anarchy and violence.”
“In an official letter, TikTok stated that it cannot comply with the request, citing its internal policies and procedures,” Sabar told local media, as reported by Indonesia Inside. The ministry had set a September 23 deadline for TikTok to hand over the data, but when only partial information was provided, Komdigi took action. “That is why we have taken the step of temporarily freezing the operating permit as a follow-up to this oversight,” Sabar said. He emphasized that the sanctions were “not merely administrative measures,” but a form of state protection to ensure the safety of Indonesian citizens from digital technology risks.
For TikTok’s more than 100 million users in Indonesia—making it the company’s second largest market globally, as noted by Reuters—the news sent shockwaves. Many rely on TikTok Shop or TikTok Live as an economic lifeline, and the platform’s brief pause of its Live feature during the August protests had already caused concern. The ministry’s move raised deeper questions about digital rights and the limits of free speech under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. Digital rights group Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) warned that increased government oversight and proposals to limit social media accounts could threaten democracy and privacy. “Ultimately, this privacy violation will impact our freedom of expression,” said Hafizh Nabiyyin, head of SAFEnet’s freedom of expression division, in comments to the South China Morning Post.
Yet, despite the suspension, TikTok remained accessible in Indonesia on October 3. The company, for its part, maintained a conciliatory tone. A TikTok spokesperson said the platform “respects the laws of the countries where it operates” and was “working with the ministry to resolve this issue constructively.” The company had previously suspended its livestreaming feature on August 30, 2025, during the height of the violence, explaining that it wanted to keep the platform “a safe and civil space.”
The government’s concerns were not limited to TikTok alone. Komdigi had recently announced that TikTok, along with Google and Meta (the parent company of Instagram and Facebook), would need to comply with a broader crackdown on online gambling content. Courts in Indonesia have begun targeting Instagram influencers who promote online casinos, and police have arrested two men suspected of building platforms for illegal gambling operations. The ministry warned all digital platforms to “comply with applicable national laws” and pledged to “continuously strengthen oversight.”
But the TikTok suspension didn’t last long. On October 4, just one day after the license was frozen, TikTok supplied the requested data on livestreaming activity and monetization during the protests. “Based on the fulfillment of those obligations, the communication and digital affairs ministry... reactivated TikTok’s status as a registered electronic system operator,” Sabar confirmed in a statement, according to AP News and Bloomberg. The data, officials said, would help trace accounts tied to online gambling that may have profited from the unrest.
The rapid reversal of the suspension was met with a mix of relief and skepticism. While many users and businesses welcomed the return of TikTok’s full functionality, some critics saw the episode as a warning sign for digital freedoms in Indonesia. The temporary ban had already sparked heated debates on social media about the government’s power to restrict platforms and the potential for abuse under Prabowo’s leadership. Indonesia’s Constitutional Court had previously ruled that the government could block internet access during times of social unrest, a measure that digital rights groups argue could be used to stifle dissent.
TikTok’s troubles in Indonesia don’t end there. On October 6, 2025, the country’s antitrust agency slapped the company with a $900,000 fine for failing to notify regulators about its acquisition of Tokopedia, Indonesia’s largest e-commerce platform. TikTok’s e-commerce feature had already been suspended in 2023 after the company moved to help small businesses, only to later acquire a 75% stake in Tokopedia and merge their shopping arms. These regulatory hurdles underscore the complex environment that global tech giants face in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
Despite these challenges, TikTok’s popularity in Indonesia continues to soar. Influencers, small businesses, and everyday users have woven the app into the fabric of daily life, using it for everything from entertainment to entrepreneurship. The platform’s ability to bounce back quickly from regulatory setbacks speaks to its resilience—and the high stakes involved for both the company and the Indonesian government.
For now, TikTok’s license is secure, and its users can return to business as usual. But the recent standoff serves as a vivid reminder that, in Indonesia, the intersection of technology, politics, and society is anything but predictable. As digital platforms grow ever more central to public discourse and economic opportunity, the debate over regulation, transparency, and freedom is sure to intensify.
