All information is based from December 16, 2025

Debunking myths

You’ve probably heard a lot of things about Indonesian law—but not all of them are true. Let’s break it down and set the record straight.

“You can prank call a business or emergency number for fun”

Fact: Prank calls to emergency numbers (like 112 or 110) or businesses causing disturbance violate Article 335 KUHP (new Criminal Code, effective 2026 but principles align with prior laws) on unnecessary disturbance and Article 27(3) UU ITE for electronic harassment, with penalties up to 9 months imprisonment or fines. Businesses can pursue civil claims under KUHPerdata Article 1365 for unlawful acts if harm occurs.

“Cyberbullying is just a school issue, not a legal issue”

Fact: Cyberbullying qualifies as a criminal offense under Article 27A UU ITE No. 1/2024 (insulting honor) and Article 45(1), with imprisonment up to 3.5 years and fines up to Rp750 million; it also ties to KUHP Article 310 (defamation) or Child Protection Law for minors, treated as serious cybercrime beyond school discipline.

“If you find money on the street, you can just keep it”

Fact: Found property must be reported to authorities under KUHPerdata Articles 1130-1138 (Book 3 on engagement/obligations); failure to return it after owner claim constitutes unlawful enrichment (Article 1365 tort liability), allowing civil lawsuits for restitution plus damages.

“If you delete a chat, the police can never recover it.”

Fact: Indonesian police and cyber units can recover deleted chats via digital forensics under UU ITE Article 5 (electronic evidence admissibility) and Polri cybercrime protocols; data from providers (e.g., WhatsApp metadata) is subpoenaed, as seen in defamation cases.

Fact: Minors (12-18) face juvenile justice under UU No. 11/2012 (Child Criminal Justice System), with diversion, counseling, or max 1/2 adult penalties; under 12 are non-culpable, but serious crimes like cyberbullying still lead to rehabilitation orders, not full immunity.

"You can take someone’s TikTok video and reupload it as your own"

Fact: Reuploading without permission infringes copyrights under UU No. 28/2014 on Copyright (fines Rp500 million+ or 10 years prison) and UU ITE Article 27(2) for content manipulation; platforms must remove under government orders, with civil claims possible via KUHPerdata breach of contract.

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Myth #3
“Minors can get away with any crime because they’re under 18”
Works Cited