Global software security group Kaspersky Lab says Indonesia is the leading country in terms of online financial fraud. Based on a survey conducted by Kaspersky Lab involving 26 countries around the globe, 26 percent of online consumers in Indonesia become victim of online financial fraud. Countries that rank second and third in this index are Vietnam (25 percent) and India (24 percent). Ross Hogan, Global Head of Kaspersky Lab's Fraud Prevention Division, says the company detected an increasing amount - and a wider variety - of online financial scams worldwide.

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Soon foreign investors will be allowed to control a full 100 percent stake in electronic commerce (e-commerce) businesses in Indonesia. Currently, the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) is completing a new regulation that streamlines the latest regulatory changes in this industry (this regulation is expected to be completed in June 2016). Earlier this year, Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed a decree that opens (more wider) foreign ownership in various industries, including Indonesia's e-commerce industry.

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On 22 May 2016, Indonesia Investments released the latest edition of its newsletter. This free newsletter, which is sent to our subscribers once per week, contains the most important news stories from Indonesia that have been reported on our website over the last seven days. Most of the topics involve economic matters such as revisions made to the economic growth forecasts for Indonesia in 2016 and 2017, the trade balance, batik industry, infrastructure, rupiah & stocks, company updates, and much more.

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RTB House, a Poland-based technology firm that develops solutions for personalized display advertising in more than 30 markets across the globe, expects online advertisement spending in Indonesia to reach USD $4.92 billion by 2019 (up 250 percent from estimated online advertisement expenditure in 2016). This rise comes on the back of Indonesia's rising Internet and smartphone penetration. Recently, Indonesia surpassed the magic number of 100 million in terms of Indonesian Internet users.

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The Association of Internet Service Providers in Indonesia (APJII) announced that Internet penetration in Indonesia has now reached 40 percent of the population, or 100 million Internet users. Jamalul Izza, Chairman of the APJII, said this milestone is the result of the joint efforts the government, Internet services providers and other stakeholders to make Internet access available across the archipelago and create a conducive regulatory environment. However, it also implies that 60 percent of the population - some 150 million people - still live without Internet.

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The number of smartphone users in Indonesia is expected to grow strongly up to (at least) 2019 in line with overall economic growth of Southeast Asia's largest economy in combination with rising Internet penetration as well as the young and large population according to market research company eMarketer. Currently, less than 40 percent of the Indonesian population owns a smartphone (implying a still low smartphone penetration rate), while Indonesia is busy expanding its 4G technology network (a necessity for smartphone or tablet users) across the Archipelago.

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The world's Internet giants that provide services in Indonesia (such as social media platforms) are encouraged to establish a permanent presence in Indonesia in the form of a representative office or foreign investment company (PT PMA) hence becoming taxable entities. If not, their services can be blocked by Indonesian authorities. Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro informed reporters about this plan on Monday (29/02). Although he declined to mention any names, it is assumed Brodjonegoro refers to social media platforms and those that sell products/services to the massive online audience of Indonesia.

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The move of the Indonesian government to relax foreign ownership rules regarding e-commerce businesses in Indonesia has also given rise to expectation that the country's major e-commerce players (including foreign ones) will be interested to list their companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange through an initial public offering (IPO). Generally an IPO improves a company's transparency and corporate/financial management. E-commerce businesses are particularly in need of consumers' trust and confidence and therefore an IPO is considered a good corporate move.

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Indonesia is in the news today after it was reported that the government ordered all instant messaging providers - for example Line, Twitter and WhatsApp - to remove gay emoticons (such as same-sex couples holding hands or making kiss gestures at each other). Through this removal the government tries to safeguard the local culture and (religious-inspired) ethics hence protecting the nation's children from an example of bad western behavior.

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Growing Internet penetration does not only give rise to a thriving online dating business but also to an expanding online gaming industry in Indonesia. Netherlands-based Newzoo, a global market research and predictive analytics firm (with a main focus on the gaming industry), said revenue in Indonesia's online gaming industry rose 77 percent year-on-year (y/y) to USD $321 million in 2015 from USD $181 million in the preceding year. This year the online gaming industry of Indonesia is expected to grow 12 percent (y/y).

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The high level of consumption in Indonesia is remarkable. In fact, household consumption in Indonesia is an important engine of economic expansion in Southeast Asia’s largest economy as it accounts for about 55 percent of economic growth. One of the most popular consumption products are gadgets, in particular mobile gadgets. Just take a look in urban environments in Indonesia; everywhere people are holding, playing with, and communicating through some sort of mobile technological device.

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