Minister's Denial
Jakarta — Minister of Communication and Digital (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid denied that the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) had ever requested social media platforms to take down or restrict content related to forest and land fires (karhutla). Meutya delivered the denial on Wednesday (10/21/2026), following widespread netizen discussion regarding the alleged restriction of reach — or shadowbanning — on karhutla-themed posts.
'There has been no removal of content, nor any request for content removal from Kemkomdigi to limit information regarding forest and land fires, or Karhutla,' Meutya stated in an official release and on her personal Instagram account.
According to Meutya, karhutla information disseminated by the public via social media actually plays an essential role in aiding fire mitigation efforts. She added that the government also leverages TikTok, Instagram, and Meta-owned Threads to deliver karhutla information as part of its public communications.
Roots of the Shadowban Polemic
The polemic surfaced after several social media users complained about a decline in viewership shortly after posting information about karhutla. One grievance was voiced by content creator Tasya Farasya, who noted that viewership on her Instagram Stories dropped from the typical one million to around 85,000, as reported by Detik iNET.
The debate heated up after a video by Siak Regent Afni Zulkifli regarding tree planting on former karhutla land was temporarily deleted and sparked widespread public discussion. The shadowban phenomenon refers to the alleged throttling of post reach or visibility without clear notification to account holders.
Call for Algorithmic Transparency
Meutya instead turned the spotlight toward the governance of digital platforms. She urged tech companies to disclose information regarding their algorithmic mechanisms and the enforcement of community guidelines so that the public understands how content is processed, moderated, and distributed. According to Meutya, users have the right to comprehend how their content is handled and distributed by platforms.
For users who suspect their posts are experiencing service disruption or reach restrictions, Meutya asked them to submit complaints or appeals to the respective platforms — including Meta and TikTok — and subsequently report them to the ministry.
'The government is open to factual, credible, and accountable information input regarding Karhutla,' she stated.
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