Indonesia threatens prison time for unauthorized downloads of forest data

Indonesia's government is imposing new restrictions on its geospatial data, sparking worries among scientists and advocates that it could hinder environmental research and activism in a nation renowned for its biodiversity. For nearly a month, users of an interactive mapping tool operated by the Ministry of Forestry encountered a pop-up warning that the data could only be viewed, not downloaded or extracted without written permission from the ministry.

Violators of this restriction could face prosecution under the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, which stipulates penalties of up to nine years in prison and/or a fine of up to Rp 3 billion ($170,000). To utilize the previously freely accessible platform, known as SIGAP, users must now agree to the "terms and conditions" that cite the ITE Law's penalties.

The ministry's Directorate General of Forestry Planning recently posted a video on Instagram detailing a new application process for prospective users, which requires them to reveal their research objectives and submit supporting documents. Doni Prabowo, the department's head of forest monitoring and geospatial information, explained to Mongabay that the restrictions were necessary because geospatial data had historically been unregulated, providing opportunities for manipulation and illicit trading of the country's valuable information.

Prabowo expressed concern that "if somebody manipulates the data and says certain areas are not protected forest [when they really are], it could be dangerous." He stated that he had heard of the ministry's geospatial data being listed...