Indonesian lawmakers pass data protection bill

Reuters reports Indonesian lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a long-awaited data protection bill into law Sept. 20. Indonesia is the fourth most-populous nation in the world. The law includes fines of up to 2% of a company's annual revenue, the potential confiscation of assets, and a stipulation that individuals could be imprisoned for up to six years for falsifying personal data or up to five years for collecting personal data illegally, the report states. The bill also authorizes the president to create an oversight body to enforce the law. Indonesia Communications Minister Johnny Plate said the development "marks a new era in the management of personal data in Indonesia."