TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) argues that Google's rejection of the Copyright Law (RUU Hak Cipta) revision fails to reflect the actual substance of the regulation under discussion. The tech giant's stance is seen as an attempt to frame the amendment as a threat to information access, artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, and the digital economy.
According to LBH Pers, journalistic works, photographs, videos, data, and various other creative content frequently serve as the raw material for search engines, news aggregation, summarization, and generative AI model training. This occurs even as the substantial costs of production, reporting, verification, editing, and publication continue to be entirely borne by the content creators themselves.
The urgency of such regulation, LBH Pers contends, is underscored by a sharp decline in digital media traffic. "The Copyright Law revision is necessary to emphasize that journalistic works are protected creations, and their commercial exploitation must be anchored in permission, transparency, and fair compensation," LBH Pers stated in an official release on Monday, July 6, 2026.
Previously, Google claimed that the proposed overhauls to the copyright framework could jeopardize the growth of the country's digital ecosystem. "The current momentum of digital development is at risk as Indonesia considers changes that will have a broad impact on the Copyright Law," Google wrote in a public statement on June 29.
The company argued that a rigid and overly broad mandate would harm local creators, stifle innovation, and undermine Indonesia’s regional competitiveness. The platform also warned that the regulation risks deterring the very investments required to propel the nation's digital future. The proposed revision is also projected to adversely affect Indonesian consumers, businesses, and creators alike.
LBH Pers countered that Google's narrative is misleading because it ignores how digital platforms systematically exploit journalistic output without securing proper consent, maintaining transparency, or providing equitable payout mechanisms. Citing findings from the Association of Indonesian Cyber Media (AMSI) and Monash University, LBH Pers noted that Indonesia's five largest news portals shed roughly 40 percent of their traffic between September 2024 and November 2025. Separate research from the Tow Center for Digital Journalism also reveals that 80 percent of readers rely entirely on AI-generated summaries without ever clicking the original source links in at least 40 percent of search queries.
To address the issue, LBH Pers outlined five core perspectives. First, Google is seen as capitalizing economically on content produced by third parties. To remedy this, LBH Pers urges the implementation of clear rules governing licensing, compensation, and operational transparency. Second, the amendment to the Copyright Law aims to regulate the commercial exploitation of creative works, rather than restrict public access to information or infringe upon fair use principles.
Third, LBH Pers believes Google is weaponizing a narrative designed to spark public anxiety simply to evade accountability, despite the rules specifically targeting digital platforms that profit from creative works. Fourth, Google must accept responsibility for its AI integration by ensuring total transparency regarding how copyrighted works are utilized for model training, summarization, and other AI-driven services.
Finally, LBH Pers pointed out that publisher compensation frameworks have already been successfully adopted across various nations, meaning Indonesia is by no means an outlier in drafting similar legislation.
Moving forward, Google's management is urged to respect both the moral and economic rights of content creators and provide equitable compensation for utilizing their intellectual property. The legal aid group also called on Google to cease propagating the narrative that copyright protections will stifle information access and technological progress.
Should Google wish to actively engage in the legislative process of the Copyright Law, LBH Pers suggested the tech firm start by respecting the very creations that have fueled its business model. "This includes Google News, Google News Showcase, and Google AI Overviews," the LBH Pers statement concluded.
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