Urgent Call for Public Data Protection: Lessons from Data Leakage at the Indonesian Child Protection Commission

Abstract

Privacy is a fundamental human right recognized in international human rights law. Indonesia acknowledges the importance of privacy protection. However, the current legal framework in Indonesia lacks comprehensive measures for protecting public data. On October 18, 2021, a data breach exposed sensitive information including identities of complainants and underage victims, case details, and mediation outcomes. This breach has significant implications: it undermines public trust in the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) and jeopardizes the safety and well-being of victims and whistleblowers, potentially exposing them to further harm. This research employs normative legal research utilizing secondary data sources, employing descriptive, evaluative, and prescriptive methods. Legal and conceptual analyses address the interface between individual rights and state interests, while a comparative approach examines global practices in personal data protection, particularly pertinent to the challenges faced by KPAI. Urgently enacting the Draft Law on Public Data Protection (RUU PDP) is crucial for Indonesia to effectively address these pressing issues and ensure robust legal safeguards for public data.