This week, the Curee Baroh village in Aceh province, on the northwest tip of Sumatra Island, demanded that half a dozen local cafes shut down their WiFi services immediately. The village is located in the Bureun district, which has been criticized for publicly flogging people found to have committed acts such as homosexuality, gambling and drinking alcohol.
Earlier this year, the district banned men and women from sharing meals together unless they are related or married in an effort to abide by sharia, Islamic canonical law, which bans khalwat (displays of affection between unmarried people).
According to officials, the WiFi service at the cafes, which cost $0.21 for five hours' use, was "damaging" the children's morals.
"There is a growing concern about WiFi access. We have six cafes in the village, and it is getting harder for parents and teachers to control the children," village head Helmiadi Mukhtaruddin recently the Jakarta Post.
"In the past, kids would recite the Koran after evening prayers, but since WiFi has become available, they're hanging out in these shops instead," Helmiadi told AFP.
"They're accessing pornographic images and other sites, which is very damaging to their morals," he added.
In addition, any cafe owners who do not comply with the new regulations will be punished. The form of punishment will be announced Friday.
