RIM Has until Jan 21 to Implement Internet Content Filter

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesian Communication Minister Tifatul Sembiring said Monday that Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) has until Jan. 21 to filter Internet content on its BlackBerry smartphones, or it risks losing Internet access altogether.

“In our meeting, they've agreed to that. We'll see how things turn out on Jan. 21,“ Sembiring told reporters after meeting with the smartphone producer's representatives earlier in the day.

Earlier this month, Sembiring threatened to shut down Internet browsing via BlackBerry smartphones if RIM failed to block websites containing porn content, his latest move in the fight against pornography. Analysts estimate the current number of BlackBerry users in Indonesia at around 2 million, making it one of the largest markets outside the U.S.

Gregory Wade, RIM's Southeast Asia managing director, told reporters separately that “RIM is fully committed to Indonesia's requirement to filter porn websites. We're also committed to continue business in Indonesia.“  An official at RIM previously said that such a move would mark the firm's first ever Internet filtering in any country.