Guide Note: On Tuesday, March 25, 2008 the Indonesian parliament passed a law to restrict access to violent and pornographic sites. This comes after much debate within Indonesia over the past couples years that has revealed divisions amongst the mostly Muslim nation. The public expressed concern over the negative impact that the sites would have on Indonesians now that more and more are gaining access to the internet. The new law mandates that anyone who is found guilty of distributing pornographic materials, false news or racial hate messages via the internet could potentially face up to six years in prison or a fine of 1 billion rupiah ($109,000).

Fast Facts:

1. Capital City: Jakarta
2. Software for blocking sites will be available for download at the ministry's Web site

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