Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia’s Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), Meutya Hafid, has stressed that the transfer of Indonesian citizens’ personal data to the United States will not be conducted arbitrarily, amid ongoing negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement between the two countries.
“The government ensures that data transfers to the United States are not done carelessly,” Meutya said in an official statement Thursday (July 24). “All processes are carried out under the framework of secure and reliable data governance, without compromising the rights of our citizens.”
She emphasized that with transparent and accountable digital governance, Indonesia aims to remain competitive in the evolving global digital economy while maintaining full sovereignty over the enforcement of its personal data laws.
Meutya noted that the data transfer commitment is part of broader trade negotiations with the U.S., which are currently in the final stages. Technical discussions are still ongoing.
The Ministry clarified that the trade deal does not amount to an open or unregulated transfer of personal data. Instead, it seeks to establish a legal, safe, and controlled framework to manage cross-border data flows.
According to Meutya, the agreement could serve as a legal foundation for protecting Indonesian users’ data when using digital services provided by U.S. tech companies—including search engines, social media platforms, cloud storage, and e-commerce systems.
“The core principles remain good data governance, protection of individual rights, and the preservation of national legal sovereignty,” she stated.
Cross-border data transfers, Meutya explained, are permitted under Indonesian law for legitimate, limited, and legally justifiable purposes. These include the use of search engines like Google, cloud-based storage, social communication via platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, e-commerce transactions, as well as research and digital innovation.
“Any cross-border data flow is strictly supervised by Indonesian authorities and conducted cautiously in accordance with national legal provisions,” she said.
The legal foundation for such transfers is based on Indonesia’s Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 27 of 2022) and Government Regulation No. 71 of 2019 on the Operation of Electronic Systems and Transactions. These regulations explicitly outline the mechanisms and requirements for sending personal data outside the country’s jurisdiction.
Earlier this week, the White House released a statement confirming that data transfer assurances were among the points discussed in the upcoming U.S.-Indonesia trade deal. Former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously hinted at aspects of the agreement, including reciprocal tariffs and digital cooperation.
“Indonesia will provide certainty regarding its ability to transfer personal data outside its territory to the United States,” the White House said in its official statement released Tuesday (July 22) local time.
