What happened
Meta, TikTok and Google testified before Indonesia’s parliament, urging lawmakers to revise a draft copyright amendment that would obligate digital platforms to pay publishers for displaying news links and would introduce new obligations for artificial‑intelligence‑generated content. The companies argued the measures would limit public access to news, impose costly licensing burdens on publishers, and create unenforceable AI‑related disclosure requirements.
During a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday, representatives from Meta, TikTok and Google presented their objections to a draft amendment to Indonesia’s copyright law. The amendment would require digital platforms to pay publishers for displaying news content and would introduce new rules governing the use of artificial intelligence in creating or reproducing copyrighted works.
Google Indonesia’s government‑affairs manager, Agung Pamungkas, warned that forcing platforms to pay for news links could reduce Indonesians’ access to information, arguing that the cost would likely be passed on to users or result in fewer links being shared. Meta’s head of public policy in Indonesia, Berni Moestafa, echoed this concern, stating that a compensation requirement could diminish publishers’ readership and advertising revenue, and stressed that directing users to an article is not the same as reproducing the content.
TikTok’s public‑policy lead, Noudhy Valdryno, focused on the AI component, urging lawmakers to retain safe‑harbour protections. He argued that disclosure obligations should not apply when AI merely assists content creation rather than fully generating it, noting that platforms cannot reliably determine copyright ownership or licensing status for AI‑generated outputs.
If passed, the bill would make Indonesia the first country in Southeast Asia to explicitly incorporate AI into its copyright regime, joining a global wave of governments grappling with how AI‑trained models use copyrighted material. The companies’ coordinated opposition highlights the tension between protecting creators’ rights and preserving the open flow of information on digital platforms.
Source details: ciosea.economictimes.indiatimes.com
Why it matters
The proposal would make Indonesia the first Southeast Asian nation to embed AI considerations directly into its copyright framework, setting a precedent for how governments balance creators’ rights, platform business models, and emerging AI technologies. If enacted, the law could reshape revenue flows for news publishers, alter how platforms design AI features, and influence regional policy debates on AI‑driven content creation and copyright enforcement.
Embedding AI provisions in copyright law could set a regional benchmark, influencing how neighboring countries draft similar legislation and potentially affecting multinational platforms that operate across borders.
The proposed payment model for news links challenges the current ad‑supported ecosystem that many Indonesian publishers rely on, potentially reshaping revenue streams and prompting publishers to seek alternative monetisation strategies.
AI‑related disclosure and licensing requirements could impose significant compliance costs on platforms, especially those that use AI to curate or summarise content, and may limit the deployment of new AI‑driven features in the Indonesian market.
The debate underscores broader global concerns about how copyrighted works are used to train large language models and other systems, raising questions about fair use, , and the balance between innovation and creator compensation.
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What to watch next
Future parliamentary votes on the bill, possible amendments to the AI‑related clauses, and reactions from other regional governments or industry groups that may follow Indonesia’s lead.
The Indonesian parliament’s final vote on the amendment and any negotiated compromises, particularly regarding the AI safe‑harbour clauses.
Responses from Indonesian news publishers and civil‑society groups, who may lobby for stronger protections or alternative compensation mechanisms.
Potential ripple effects in ASEAN nations, which may look to Indonesia’s approach as a template for their own AI‑copyright policies.
Further statements or legal actions from other major tech firms operating in the region, such as Apple, Microsoft or regional startups, which could signal broader industry alignment or divergence.