Indonesia’s House of Representatives Highlights Rupiah Exchange Rate Error on Google

Jakarta – The public was shocked by information on the rupiah exchange rate against the United States (US) dollar that suddenly strengthened to IDR 8,170.65 in a Google search on Saturday, February 1, 2025.

The Indonesian people were shocked by this information, until finally Bank Indonesia (BI) confirmed that the data was inaccurate.

“The USD/IDR exchange rate level of Rp 8,100 as shown on Google is not the level it should be. Bank Indonesia data recorded an exchange rate of Rp16,312 per US dollar on January 31, 2025,” Denny told reporters, Saturday, February 1, 2025.

Google also confirmed that the misinformation came from third-party conversion data used in Google Search.

“We are aware of an issue affecting Rupiah (IDR) exchange rate information on Google Search. The currency conversion data comes from a third-party source,” a Google representative said in a written statement as quoted from Antara, Saturday, February 1, 2025.

DPR Highlights Potential Market Panic

The inaccuracy of the data was highlighted by a member of Commission I DPR RI, Sukamta. He emphasized the importance of accuracy and thoroughness in presenting economic information in the digital realm.

According to him, this incident has the potential to mislead the public and business actors, and can even trigger market panic.

“Inaccurate information on the rupiah exchange rate can have a serious impact on public confidence and national economic stability. Errors like this are not just technical errors, but can trigger market panic, disrupt government economic policies, and influence the decisions of businesses and investors,” he said, quoted Monday, February 3, 2025.

Sukamta also questioned whether this error was purely due to technical factors or whether there was a certain motive behind it.

“Is Google starting to play politics? Is this part of the global dynamics that we have seen before, such as how George Soros played a role in the Asian economic crisis in 1998?” asked the PKS faction politician.

He also highlighted that in the digital age, technology giants have a huge influence on public perception and the economic stability of a country.

Demand for Transparency and Supervision of Economic Data

Therefore, Sukamta urged Google to be more transparent in determining the source of the data used, especially regarding sensitive economic information.

“Google must be open in explaining where they get this exchange rate data from. Do not let certain interests come into play in the management of public information, especially if it can have an impact on the country’s economy,” added the doctor who graduated from a university in the UK.

Sukamta emphasized that this mistake must be corrected immediately with concrete steps. One of them is to increase cooperation between Google and official institutions such as Bank Indonesia and the Ministry of Finance, so that the data displayed is more accurate and reliable.

“Google has a big responsibility as a global information provider. They must ensure that the economic data displayed is sourced from credible and verified institutions, so as not to mislead the public,” he said.

Sukamta also invited the government to more actively monitor the dissemination of economic information on digital platforms.

“Stricter regulations are needed so that global technology companies do not arbitrarily spread data that can have a negative impact on national economic stability,” he said.

As a preventive measure, Sukamta urged the public to be more critical and improve digital literacy in filtering information.

“Don’t immediately believe the data that appears on search engines. People need to get used to verifying information with official sources, such as Bank Indonesia or the Ministry of Finance,” he said.

The Importance of Indonesia’s Digital Sovereignty

In a broader context, this case is a reminder of the importance of digital sovereignty for Indonesia.

“We should not be too dependent on foreign technology platforms in accessing strategic information. It is time for Indonesia to strengthen a more independent and trusted national economic information system,” he concluded. (*)

Editor: Yulian Saputra