Indonesia Passes Privacy Bill

Indonesia’s parliament has passed a new personal data protection law after a series of data leaks and breaches. The law carries heavy penalties for data misuse or leaks, including up to 5 years of jail time and 2% of a company’s annual revenue. Falsifying personal data carries a potential 6 years of jail time. The new law authorizes the president to form a data protection oversight body, entitles individuals to compensation for data breaches, and includes a two year “adjustment” period.

Indonesia is now the fifth Southeast Asian country to pass a data protection law, joining Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.