Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Source: VNA)
Indonesia put into operation a new cyber security agency on January 3 to deal with online religious extremism and fake news on social media.
The National Cyber and Encryption Agency (BSSN) is responsible for cracking down on terrorist networks and tackling the rampant cases of hoaxes and fake news on social media.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo named Major General Djoko Setiadi, former chairman of the country’s encryption agency, as Chairman of the BSSN.
More than 150 million out of 255 million Indonesians are now estimated to be Internet users, posing a concern about the spread of hoaxes and fake news.
Indonesia has long struggled with Islamic militancy and attacks, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists, in the country’s worst-ever terror attack.
Last week, Indonesia said it was adding some 600 more personnel to the ranks of its counter-terrorism police in a bid to crack down on Islamic State-inspired groups and other militants.
VNA
