The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs in Indonesia has teamed up with the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI) to strengthen cyber surveillance to protect Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) from exploitation and human trafficking.
In a press statement issued, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid informed that her ministry has developed a cyber monitoring system to detect sites and social media accounts suspected of carrying out illegal recruitments.
“The challenge is to accelerate the take-down process,” she added during a meeting with Minister of P2MI Abdul Kadir Karding, the same day. Based on data from the P2MI Ministry, in 2023, more than five million workers went to foreign countries without following the legal procedures, which left them vulnerable to labor exploitation and human trafficking.
The majority of them were recruited through digital platforms, with illegal agents offering them jobs with high salaries and fast processes. However, the recruitment ended in torture, forced labor, or even modern slavery. Hafid said that cooperation across ministries and institutions can help accelerate action against dangerous content on digital platforms.
Besides enforcement efforts, her ministry will also strengthen the digital education of prospective migrant workers to make them more aware of fraud in cyberspace. Socialization will be carried out through various communication channels, including social media, radio, and national television, to ensure information regarding legal migrant worker placement can reach the public.
“We can also create a digital campaign or public service announcement,” she added. Meanwhile, Minister Karding highlighted the high number of illegal recruitments of migrant workers through social media and digital platforms. Data from his ministry shows that around 23 to 27 sites or social media accounts need to be taken down every month for facilitating illegal PMI recruitments.
“Therefore, we build this synergy with the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry, as mandated by President Prabowo Subianto,” he added. Karding said he hopes that through this effort, Indonesian migrant worker protection can be made more effective and comprehensive, starting from the time of pre-departure, during their term of employment, and when they return to Indonesia. “The government is committed to utilizing digital technology as the main tool in combating cybercrime that threatens the safety of Indonesian migrant workers,” he emphasized.
