Can Tourists Be Prosecuted for a Bad Review or Social Post in Bali?

Yes, but only in narrow situations. An honest review of your own stay or meal in Bali is very unlikely to lead to criminal charges, while unproven accusations against a named person, hate speech about religion or ethnicity, and content that disrespects sacred sites can bring you to the police or immigration.

The summary below uses Law 1/2024 (the second amendment to Indonesia's ITE Law), the Constitutional Court release of 29 April 2025, and media reports checked on 26 October 2026. It is general information, not legal advice.

Which articles apply to reviews and posts?

Two provisions of the 2024 ITE Law, signed on 2 January 2024, matter most:

• Article 27A (defamation): deliberately attacking another person's honour by accusing them of something so it becomes public through electronic media. Maximum penalty: 2 years in prison and/or a Rp400 million fine. Hukumonline (18 January 2024) notes that if the accusation cannot be proven and contradicts the facts, it becomes slander, with up to 4 years and Rp750 million.
• Article 28(2) (incitement of hatred based on religion, ethnicity, race and similar groups): up to 6 years and/or Rp1 billion.

Since 2 January 2026 the new Criminal Code (Law 1/2023) is also in force, with its own defamation and slander articles (Articles 433-434). More on that in our piece on the 2026 Criminal Code for tourists.

Can a hotel or restaurant report my review?

Under Article 27A, practically no. In Decision 105/PUU-XXII/2024, read on 29 April 2025, the Constitutional Court ruled that "another person" means an individual. Institutions, corporations, professions and official positions cannot file the complaint. The offence is also complaint-based, so only the directly affected person can report it.

So a company running a villa or restaurant cannot use this article over a review saying "dirty room, broken air-con, slow service". The risk changes if you accuse a specific person, for example "the manager named X stole my deposit", without proof. That individual can still complain. A civil lawsuit by the business is also possible in theory, though rarely reported for tourist reviews.

Has a foreign tourist ever been prosecuted over a review in Bali?

A search of Indonesian national media up to 26 October 2026 found no case of a foreign tourist prosecuted in Bali over a Google or TripAdvisor review. The closest case is in Thailand: in September 2020, CBS News and the Bangkok Post reported that an American was reported by a Koh Chang resort over TripAdvisor reviews, briefly detained and released on bail. Thai law is different, but it shows businesses can react harshly.

What kind of post actually causes trouble in Bali?

The cases that end badly are usually photos or videos seen as disrespecting sacred places or public decency, not reviews. Real examples:

• May 2022: a Russian couple, Alina Fazleeva and her husband, posed naked at a sacred kayu putih tree in Tua village, Tabanan, and posted it on Instagram. ANTARA Bali reported both were deported and blacklisted under Article 75(1) of the Immigration Law.
• April 2023: Russian national Luiza Kosykh was deported after old photos at the same tree (posted in 2021) went viral again.

These cases relied on immigration and public order rules, not defamation. Deportation can happen without any criminal trial. Recent patterns are covered in our article on 10 deportation cases in October 2026.

What if I film another tourist misbehaving?

Be careful there too. In March 2023, Bisnis.com reported that Bali Immigration asked the public not to make foreigners' violations go viral and to report them directly, while the Bali police chief at the time warned that people spreading such videos could face the ITE Law. Posting someone's face with an accusation can backfire, especially if the accusation is wrong. For the opposite situation, when you are the one being photographed, see your rights when photographed on a Bali beach.

What is safe to write on Google or TripAdvisor?

• Describe what you experienced yourself, with dates: "We checked in on 12 October; there was no hot water for two nights."
• Separate facts from opinion: "too expensive for the portion, in my view" is a legitimate opinion.
• Do not accuse named staff of crimes (theft, fraud, extortion). If it happened, report it to the police.
• Avoid remarks about religion, ethnicity or Balinese people as a group.
• Keep evidence: receipts, photos, WhatsApp chats. If challenged, you can show what the review is based on.
• If an owner threatens you to remove a review, stay calm. You can correct anything that is actually wrong, and the platforms have reporting channels for intimidation.

Other rules visitors often ask about are collected on our Bali rules page.

FAQ

Can a tourist be stopped from leaving Indonesia over a defamation report? Investigators can request a travel ban for a suspect, but no such case over an ordinary review has been reported. If you receive a police summons, contact your embassy and a lawyer before answering.

Do comments in a closed Facebook or Telegram group count? Article 27A requires the matter to become "public". A large group may count as public, so treat it like a public post.

Can a meme or joke video about a temple ceremony get me in trouble? Yes, if it is seen as insulting religion or a sacred place. The 2022 and 2023 Tabanan cases started with photos at a sacred tree, not with reviews.