'No to porn,' says Jakarta

Indonesia shall restrict access to pornographic and violent sites online, following the approval of an information bill passed by parliament, reports Reuters.

The Electronic Information and Transactions Law states anyone found guilty of transmitting pornographic material, false news or racial and religious hate messages online could face a fine of $109,000 or up to six years in prison.

The law also allows courts to use electronic material as evidence in cases involving internet abuse.

With the use of special software, the government expects to start implementing restrictions on sites with banned material beginning next month.

The bill is the fruit of a long debate over pornography in recent years. The topic has divided Indonesian public sentiment, as the vast majority of inhabitants are Muslim.