REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The government through Ministry of Communications and Information Technology blocked 22 illegal music sites. It was because the sites were considered to have violated the copyright in musical works.
In a press conference held on Monday (23/11), the 22 illegal music sites blocked were laguhit.com, mp3days.net, weblagu.com, wapkalagu.com, iozmusik.com, lagu.in, carilagu.net, bursalagu.com, beemp3s.org, arenalagu.com, saranmu.com, tubidy.im, stafaband.info, memomp3.com, zinzhu.com, mp3take.com, kumpulbagi.com, onlagump3.com, newlagump3.info, targetlagu.com, musik-corner.info, and musicexplire.com.
Director General of Telematics Applications of Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Bambang Heru Tjahjono, said the closing was a follow up on request of Ministry of Justice and Human Rights through letter No. HKI.7.HM.01.05-264 in 15th October 2015 regarding recommendation of closing on content and access rights for copyright violators.
Letter of recommendation was given after there was a complaint from Recording Industry Association of Indonesia (ASIRI), in accordance with procedure of closing site of copyright violators. Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Ministry of Justice and Human Rights had previously signed cooperation to combat copyright infringement committed via the Internet.
ASIRI noted that there were at least six million downloads of songs performed through the illegal sites.
"At least, music industry loses Rp 6 billion per day," said the representative ASIRI, Totok, in Jakarta, Monday (23/11).
While, the 22 sites that were blocked, according to him, were the most accessible sites. Based on data of ASIRI, people who accessed the sites reaches 430 thousand per month with an estimated loss of Rp 6.6 billion per month.