Pornography Heated Debate: Is it just entertainment or a massive problem for Indonesia?

Pornography is a controversial and divisive issue in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, where the consumption and production of pornographic materials are illegal and punishable by law. 

The debate over pornography has been reignited recently, as the government has intensified its efforts to block and censor online porn sites, and as some religious and social groups have staged protests and campaigns against pornography. However, the debate over pornography is not only a matter of morality and religion, but also of politics, economics, and culture.

The Arguments and Perspectives of the Anti-Pornography Camp

The anti-pornography camp, which consists of various conservative and Islamist groups, such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), argues that pornography is a massive problem for Indonesia, as it harms the society and the nation in various ways, such as:

• Corrupting the morals and values of the people, especially the youth, who are exposed to sexual images and messages that are contrary to the teachings and principles of Islam and the Indonesian culture.
• Undermining the family and the marriage institution, which are the foundations of the society, as pornography leads to adultery, divorce, domestic violence, and sexual abuse.
• Threatening the security and the unity of the nation, as pornography fuels social conflicts and tensions, such as sectarian violence, radicalism, and terrorism.

The anti-pornography camp demands that the government take more strict and effective measures to eradicate pornography from the country, such as:

• Enforcing and implementing the 2008 Anti-Pornography Law, which defines pornography broadly as any materials that contain sexual exploitation or eroticism, and which imposes harsh penalties for the producers, distributors, and consumers of pornography.
• Blocking and shutting down all online porn sites, and monitoring and regulating the internet and social media platforms, to prevent the access and spread of pornography.
• Educating and mobilizing the public, especially the religious and community leaders, to raise awareness and resistance against pornography, and to report and combat any pornographic activities or materials.

The Arguments and Perspectives of the Pro-Pornography Camp

The pro-pornography camp, which consists of various liberal and secular groups, such as the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), and the Indonesian Women’s Coalition (KPI), argues that pornography is not a major problem for Indonesia, but rather a matter of personal choice and freedom, and that it has some benefits and advantages for the society and the nation, such as:

• Enhancing the sexual health and well-being of the people, especially the adults, who have the right and the responsibility to explore and express their sexuality and preferences, and to access sexual information and education.
• Promoting the diversity and the creativity of the people, especially the artists and the activists, who have the right and the opportunity to produce and consume various forms of artistic and cultural expressions, and to challenge and criticize the dominant and oppressive norms and values.
• Strengthening the democracy and the human rights of the nation, as pornography reflects and respects the pluralism and the tolerance of the society, and as it protects and empowers the marginalized and the vulnerable groups, such as women, LGBT, and minorities.

The pro-pornography camp opposes and resists the government’s actions and policies to ban and censor pornography, as they violate and infringe the rights and freedoms of the people, such as:

• The freedom of expression and the press, which are guaranteed by the constitution and the law, and which allow the people to communicate and disseminate their opinions and ideas, and to access and exchange information and knowledge.
• The privacy and the autonomy of the individuals, which are recognized and respected by the international and national human rights standards, and which enable the people to make their own decisions and choices, and to control their own bodies and lives.
• The rule of law and the justice system, which are based on the principles of legality, proportionality, and due process, and which ensure that the people are treated fairly and equally, and that they are protected from arbitrary and abusive actions and interventions.

The Implications and Ramifications of the Debate

The debate over pornography has significant implications and ramifications for Indonesian society and politics, as it reflects and affects the values and the interests of the people and the groups involved, as well as the challenges and the opportunities that the country faces in the globalized and digitalized era. The debate could have some positive and negative effects, such as:

• Stimulating a more open and critical dialogue and discussion among the people and the groups, and fostering a more informed and engaged public opinion and participation on the issue of pornography and other related issues, such as sexuality, gender, culture, and religion.
• Exacerbating a more polarized and hostile conflict and confrontation between the people and the groups, and creating a more divided and unstable social and political situation and environment on the issue of pornography and other related issues, such as security, law, and human rights.
• Influencing the outcome and the direction of the upcoming 2024 presidential and legislative elections, as the issue of pornography and other related issues could become the main agenda and the battleground for the candidates and the parties, and could sway the preferences and the votes of the electorate.