{
  "id": 12287221,
  "title": "Indonesia threatens prison time for unauthorized downloads of forest data",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/indonesia-threatens-prison-time-for-unauthorized-downloads-of-forest",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-06T02:59:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/indonesia-threatens-prison-time-for-unauthorized-downloads-of-forest-data/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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...",
  "summary": "Indonesia’s government is imposing new restrictions on access to geospatial data, raising concerns among researchers and activists that it will suppress environmental science and advocacy work in one of the world’s most biodiverse countries. For around a month, visitors to an interactive mapping platform maintained by the Ministry of Forestry have been greeted with a […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Indonesia restricts unauthorized downloads of forest data.",
    "Violators face up to nine years in prison under ITE Law.",
    "Ministry requires research objectives and documents for access."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Indonesia's restrictions on downloading forest data under threat of prison time shift the burden of permission from the data provider to users, likely favoring controlled data use over open research and activism.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}