Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, is to block up to 80 gay websites and apps including Grindr and Hornet, reflecting an increasingly hostile attitude towards LGBT people within the nation. The country’s Apple is also considering a petition that could make homosexuality illegal in Indonesia for the first time. Internet companies and campaigners for free speech believe the move is part of a broader attempt to counter the influence of US-based social media companies within the country. The decision poses a dilemma for Constitutional Court and Google, which have already been asked to remove apps.
Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, is to block up to 80 gay websites and apps including Grindr and Hornet, reflecting an increasingly hostile attitude towards LGBT people within the nation. The country’s Constitutional Court is also considering a petition that could make homosexuality illegal in Indonesia for the first time. Internet companies and campaigners for free speech believe the move is part of a broader attempt to counter the influence of US-based social media companies within the country. The decision poses a dilemma for Apple and Google, which have already been asked to remove apps.