Jakarta, July 5, 2026 – The Europe Today: Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) and global technology company Meta have agreed to establish a joint task force to combat the spread of online gambling-related content, particularly spam promotions appearing in social media comment sections.
Communication and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid announced the initiative on Tuesday, saying the joint team will focus on tackling online gambling promotions circulating on Meta’s platforms, especially Instagram and Facebook, in response to growing public complaints.
“We have agreed to establish a joint team to address online gambling promotion on social media platforms, particularly spam comments that have generated significant public concern,” the minister said.
Hafid noted that the strategy could later be expanded to include cooperation with other digital platforms beyond those operated by Meta.
She explained that perpetrators have increasingly adopted a new tactic of flooding comment sections with promotional messages directing users to online gambling websites.
According to the ministry, online gambling-related spam comments have surged by 128 percent over the past two weeks compared with the figures recorded during the January-June 2026 period.
Cybersecurity analysis conducted by the ministry found that organized bot networks were being used to inundate the comment sections of high-profile social media accounts, including those of government institutions, public officials, celebrities and influencers, in an effort to maximize public exposure.
The minister said the ministry is working closely with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), the Financial Services Authority (OJK), and the Indonesian National Police to strengthen enforcement against online gambling networks.
Meanwhile, Meta’s Director for Public Policy in Southeast Asia, Sarim Aziz, described online gambling as a cross-border challenge that requires coordinated action among governments, technology companies and law enforcement agencies.
He said the perpetrators are highly motivated by financial gain and continue to develop increasingly sophisticated methods to evade automated detection systems, including manipulating keywords and altering text patterns in comments and messages.
Aziz welcomed the collaboration with the Indonesian government, emphasizing that stronger enforcement supported by artificial intelligence, improved human moderation and more advanced detection systems would be essential to preventing and disrupting online gambling activities across digital platforms.
The joint initiative forms part of Indonesia’s broader efforts to strengthen online safety and curb the growing use of digital platforms for illegal gambling operations.
