October 5, 2025

In a twist worthy of a thriller, Indonesia has lifted the suspension on TikTok’s local operating license! The drama unfolded after TikTok shared crucial data related to live streaming traffic and how money flowed through the platform from August 25 to 30. According to Alexander Sabar, director general at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, “As the obligations are met, the ministry ends the license suspension.” He revealed the answers came in a letter dated October 3. But why was TikTok suspended in the first place? The ministry suspended TikTok the very same day, October 3, because the social media giant didn’t fully share user activity details during protests. Those protests erupted after a delivery driver’s death, stirring the nation during late August. TikTok’s refusal to provide complete data on these events made the government angry. The company temporarily paused its live streaming feature on August 30 when protests heated up, only to restart it a few days later when things calmed down. This clash highlights how tough it is for TikTok, a Chinese-owned platform, to operate in Indonesia — a key market where authorities are cracking down on social media and e-commerce oversight. Why does Indonesia matter so much? It’s a giant player for TikTok’s Southeast Asia growth, especially in boosting online shopping. In fact, Indonesia ranks among the biggest countries contributing to TikTok Shop’s worldwide sales. TikTok said late Friday it’s cooperating with authorities to fix the issue, but didn’t comment beyond business hours. Previously, TikTok explained in a letter on September 23 that their own privacy rules stopped them from fully sharing the government’s requested data. Still, officials said TikTok only gave partial info, not everything asked for. Now, with the data shared and salty tensions cooling, Indonesia’s ministry has happily waved TikTok back into the game. So, what’s next? Will TikTok keep dancing with Indonesia’s strict rules smoothly, or will more drama unfold? Stay tuned!

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Tags: Tiktok, Indonesia, Data sharing, License suspension, Social media regulation, Government,