RIM to Block Porn From Indonesian BlackBerrys

INDONESIA — Bowing to threats to stop its service, Research In Motion (RIM) will block porn sites from its Indonesian BlackBerry users.

Reports said that the Canadian company is working closely with the Indonesian government and carriers in the country to introduce the restriction.

On Friday, the country’s communications and information technology minister Tifatul Sembiring, gave RIM two weeks to filter all porn sites or be shut down.

"Research In Motion confirms that it shares minister Tifatul Sembiring's sense of urgency on this matter and it is fully committed to working with Indonesia's carriers to put in place a prompt, compliant filtering solution for BlackBerry subscribers in Indonesia as soon as possible," the company said in the statement.

A meeting between RIM and the government is scheduled for Jan. 17. "We hope RIM will be compliant by then," said Heru Sutadi, commissioner of Badan Regulasi Telekomunikasi Indonesia (BRTI), the telecommunications regulator in the country.

The Indonesian government has also demanded that RIM build a center for lawful interceptions of email and other messages, according to reports. RIM currently encrypts certain BlackBerry communications and routes the data through RIM-owned servers in Canada.

RIM said that it "continues to make it a top priority to implement satisfactory technical solutions with its partners as soon as possible," but did not mention porn or an in-country server.

Some analysts estimate that there are between 1.5 million and 2 million RIM users in Indonesia. According to reports, If RIM doesn’t satisfy the Indonesian government, the country's telecommunications ministry could ask the six domestic telecommunications operators of BlackBerry's Internet services in Indonesia to stop supporting it.

Indonesia launched its first salvo against RIM last August along with other countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

U of Wisconsin Lawyers Admit to Political, Donor Pressure to Terminate Prof. Joe Gow Over OnlyFans Content

Lawyers for the Universities of Wisconsin admitted during a hearing Friday that the institution has received pressure from a Republican politician and from a donor to strip veteran UW professor of communications Joe Gow of tenure for unremorsefully creating and appearing in adult content.

Heritage Foundation Leader Kevin Roberts Doubles Down on Defense of Anti-Porn Project 2025

Heritage Foundation and current Project 2025 leader Kevin Roberts appeared on Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier on Wednesday to defend the controversial conservative initiative, which includes a call to criminalize the production and distribution of pornography.

Open Mind AI Seeks Inclusion in EU's AI Debate

New European industry initiative Open Mind AI has penned a letter asking EU authorities to include adult companies and creators in ongoing discussions on setting up a legal framework for AI content.

Canadian Law Professor: Proposed Age Verification Bill 'Will Make Things Worse'

Leading Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail this week published an op-ed written by a legal scholar outlining fundamental issues with the Conservative-backed age verification bill currently making its way through Parliament.

UK Labour Government Confirms it Will Continue Baroness-Led 'Porn Review'

The Labour government of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed it will continue the controversial full review of British pornography laws ordered by former Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in 2023.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for July and August

AEBN has released the top search terms for the months of July and August from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

SWR Data Survey Probes Concerns About Political Attacks on Industry

SWR Data, an adult-sector market research firm led by industry veterans Mike Stabile and MelRose Michaels, has released data from its upcoming 2024 State of the Creator report, illustrating creators’ concerns about political attacks on the industry.

FSC Urges SCOTUS to Strike Down 'Unconstitutional' Texas Age Verification Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) urged the U.S. Supreme Court through a brief filed Monday to strike down Texas’ age verification law as unconstitutional.

Japanese Manga Industry Hit by Credit Card Companies' Anti-Porn Restrictions

Japanese manga retailers are reporting pressure from multinational credit card companies — many based in the U.S. and targeted by anti-porn religious conservatives — to censor their content if they wish to maintain their current payment processing arrangements.

Netherlands Government Continues Porn Probe Following Abuse Allegations

The Dutch government plans to continue investigating the local porn industry in the Netherlands, following a series of abuse allegations involving photographer and self-styled “model scout” Daniël van der W.

Show More