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Indonesia Suspends TikTok’s Operating Registration Over Data-Sharing Failures

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Indonesia has suspended TikTok’s registration as an electronic systems provider after the company allegedly failed to hand over full data related to its live-streaming feature, according to a statement from the country’s communications and digital ministry on Friday.

The move technically gives authorities the power to restrict access to TikTok—used by over 100 million Indonesians—but as of Friday, Reuters reporters were still able to access the app normally. Officials have not yet clarified whether the suspension will lead to an outright block.

Ministry official Alexander Sabar said the suspension followed concerns that accounts linked to online gambling exploited TikTok’s live-streaming tool during recent national protests, which erupted over lawmakers’ allowances and police brutality from late August through September. TikTok had temporarily suspended its live feature during the unrest, saying it aimed to “keep TikTok a safe and civil space.”

According to Sabar, the government requested TikTok’s traffic, streaming, and monetization data, but the company, owned by China’s ByteDance, did not fully comply, citing internal company procedures. “The communications and digital ministry deemed TikTok to have violated its obligations as a private electronic provider,” Sabar said, explaining that the platform’s registration was therefore suspended.

Under Indonesian law, all registered digital service providers must share certain operational data with the government for oversight purposes or risk being blocked.

In response, a TikTok spokesperson stated that the company respects local laws and is working with authorities to resolve the issue.

The dispute highlights Indonesia’s tightening regulatory scrutiny over global tech platforms, following a broader regional trend toward data sovereignty—governments demanding access to digital companies’ data as a condition for market operation.

Dutch Court Orders Meta to Simplify Facebook and Instagram Timelines

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A Dutch court has ordered Meta Platforms to change how it presents Facebook and Instagram timelines, ruling that users must be given a simple and direct way to opt out of personalized content based on profiling.

The decision, issued on Thursday, found that elements of Meta’s current design violate the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a sweeping law intended to curb manipulative digital practices and increase user control over online platforms.

Under the ruling, Meta has two weeks to implement the changes in the Netherlands. Users must be able to select a chronological timeline or another non-profiled feed, and — critically — that choice must remain active instead of resetting when users close the app or browser.

The court said Meta’s practice of automatically reverting users to the algorithmic “recommended content” feed amounted to a “dark pattern”, a manipulative design that limits free choice and infringes on the right to freedom of information.

“People in the Netherlands are not sufficiently able to make free and autonomous choices about the use of profiled recommendation systems,” the court said.

The timing of the ruling was also significant: the court noted that these design practices could influence public opinion ahead of the Dutch general election on October 29, emphasizing the importance of media neutrality and user autonomy.

META TO APPEAL

Meta said it would appeal the decision, insisting it had already made substantial adjustments to comply with the DSA and had notified Dutch users about how to view non-personalized feeds.

“We introduced substantial changes to our systems to meet our regulatory obligations under the DSA,” a Meta spokesperson said. “Proceedings like this threaten the digital single market and the harmonized regulatory regime that should underpin it.”

Meta also argued that such rulings should be handled at the EU level rather than by individual member states, warning that fragmented national court decisions could undermine the DSA’s unified enforcement goals.

DIGITAL RIGHTS GROUP CELEBRATES

The Dutch digital rights organization Bits of Freedom, which filed the case, welcomed the court’s ruling.

“It is unacceptable that a few American tech billionaires can determine how we view the world,” said spokesperson Maartje Knaap, calling the decision a major victory for digital freedom and user rights in Europe.

The ruling marks a new milestone in the EU’s effort to hold global tech firms accountable under the DSA — and could inspire similar challenges in other member states as regulators and courts push for greater transparency and user control in digital platforms.

Singapore Threatens Meta With Fines Over Facebook Impersonation Scams

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The Singapore government has given Meta Platforms until the end of this month to introduce stronger safeguards, including facial recognition technology, to combat impersonation scams on Facebook—or face steep fines.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said on Thursday that Meta could be fined up to S$1 million ($776,639) if it fails to comply “without reasonable excuse.” After the deadline, Meta would face additional penalties of S$100,000 per day until measures are implemented.

The directive, issued Wednesday, follows a surge in scams involving fake ads, accounts, and business pages impersonating government officials. Authorities say incidents of such scams rose sharply between June 2024 and June 2025.

A Meta spokesperson said impersonation and deceptive ads are against company policy, adding: “We remove these when detected.” The spokesperson noted that Meta uses specialized systems to catch fraudulent accounts and “celeb-bait” ads, and works with law enforcement to pursue legal action against scammers.

Earlier this month, Singapore police ordered Meta to step up anti-scam measures on Facebook, but that directive did not include a compliance deadline.

Officials said this is the first enforcement order under Singapore’s Online Criminal Harms Act, which came into effect in February 2024. The law gives regulators new powers to hold platforms accountable for online scams and harmful digital activity.

“While Meta has taken steps to address impersonation scams globally, including in Singapore, the Ministry of Home Affairs and police remain concerned by the prevalence of such scams locally,” the ministry said.