Jakarta, INTI - Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung, Deputy Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives’ (DPR RI) Legislative Body (Baleg), emphasized that the proposed Copyright Bill must protect intellectual works while ensuring economic fairness for creators amid the rapid development of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI).
Doli made the statement while chairing a working visit meeting of the Copyright Bill Deliberation Working Committee in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
According to Doli, advances in digital technology and AI present new challenges to copyright protection. These developments require regulations that safeguard creators’ economic rights while providing legal certainty for businesses in the creative industry.
Parliament Emphasizes Copyright Protection and Economic Fairness for Creators
Doli noted that copyright protection is not merely about recognizing ownership of creative works but also about safeguarding creators’ livelihoods and ensuring a fair distribution of economic benefits.
“Copyright protection is not only about individual rights but also about social and economic justice. When copyright is adequately protected, creators have the opportunity to earn a decent living from their work, which is essential to reducing social inequality,” Doli said.
He stressed that the Copyright Bill must be developed comprehensively to address the various challenges arising from technological transformation.
One of the key priorities in the legislative discussions is establishing obligations for digital platforms to prevent copyright infringement.
The proposed legislation is also expected to provide legal certainty regarding the use of intellectual property, including works associated with AI technology and traditional cultural expressions.
These provisions are considered essential to ensuring that creators and creative industry participants receive appropriate recognition and economic benefits for their work.
Legal Expert Warns Against the Exploitation of Traditional Cultural Heritage
Hasbir Paserangi, a professor of intellectual property law at Hasanuddin University, highlighted the importance of protecting creative works and cultural heritage collectively owned by communities.
According to Hasbir, legal protection should extend beyond formal recognition or administrative registration to include transparent and equitable mechanisms for sharing economic benefits.
He emphasized the importance of benefit-sharing principles when traditional cultural expressions are used for commercial purposes.
“The principle that must be upheld is that there should be no commercial exploitation of collectively owned cultural heritage that disregards the communities responsible for developing and preserving it. Both decision-making processes and the distribution of economic benefits must ensure that commercial use provides fair returns to the communities that maintain and pass down this heritage,” Hasbir explained.
He argued that communities responsible for preserving and transmitting traditional culture should receive equitable economic benefits whenever their cultural heritage is used commercially.
These recommendations are being considered in the drafting of the Copyright Bill to ensure that intellectual property protection also covers the rights of Indigenous peoples and communities that own and preserve cultural heritage.
DPR Legislative Body Prepares Copyright Regulations for the Digital and AI Era
South Sulawesi was selected as the location for the Copyright Bill working committee’s visit because of its significant potential in creative industries, arts, culture, filmmaking, and traditional cultural heritage.
This potential is closely linked to the challenges of copyright protection amid rapid advances in digital technology.
Through the working visit, the DPR RI’s Legislative Body gathered public input, factual findings, and recommendations from various stakeholders to strengthen the substance of the proposed legislation.
The feedback will be examined further to refine the bill, particularly provisions concerning creator protection, economic rights, digital platform obligations, and the use of AI-generated or AI-related works.
The findings from the visit will subsequently inform the Level I deliberations on the Copyright Bill between the DPR RI and the government during the current parliamentary session.
The legislative process aims to establish a copyright protection framework that keeps pace with technological developments while ensuring economic fairness for creators and communities that own and preserve cultural heritage.
Conclusion
Indonesia’s proposed Copyright Bill aims to strengthen intellectual property protection amid rapid advances in digital technology and AI. By addressing creators’ economic rights, digital platform responsibilities, and fair benefit-sharing for traditional cultural heritage, the legislation seeks to provide greater legal certainty and promote a more equitable and sustainable creative economy.
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