Regulations
As Indonesia begins biometric SIM card registration for new subscribers, operators and cybersecurity experts say the policy's success will depend on infrastructure readiness, digital literacy and strong data protection.
A user uses facial recognition on a smartphone in this undated photograph. (Shutterstock/Hadrian)
Telecommunications operators and cybersecurity experts largely back Indonesia's new biometric SIM card registration system as a tool to combat online fraud but warn that its success will hinge on infrastructure readiness, digital literacy and robust data protection, while urging the government to lower verification fees.The biometric registration requirement, which took effect on Tuesday for new mobile subscribers, is stipulated under Communications and Digital Ministry Regulation No. 7/2026.
The Indonesian Telecommunications Providers Association (ATSI), which supports the policy, said biometric verification would improve customer data accuracy and make it harder for fraudsters to exploit anonymous mobile numbers.
