Legal Certainty in the Regulation of Hate Speech: A Comparative Study of Indonesia and Germany

Avivah Firisqi Leksono, Vivi Rohmana

Abstract


Freedom of expression is a fundamental right guaranteed by the constitution, but it is not absolute, as it may be restricted to protect human dignity, public order, and the rights of others. In Indonesia, this guarantee is enshrined in the 1945 Constitution, but at the statutory level, it remains fragmented across the Criminal Code (KUHP) and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE) without clear normative criteria to distinguish between criticism and hate speech. This situation leads to multiple interpretations, legal uncertainty, and the risk of overcriminalization of public expression. This study employs a normative legal method with a comparative approach between Indonesia and Germany. The German legal system was chosen because it features an integrated normative framework through the Basic Law (Grundgesetz), §130 of the Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch), and the Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG), which provide more detailed indicators. The findings indicate that Germany possesses a higher level of normative precision and legal certainty. The novelty of this study lies in its comparative analysis, which integrates normative, philosophical, and implementational dimensions to formulate more precise legal indicators for limiting hate speech. Therefore, a reformulation of normative indicators in Indonesian legislation is necessary to strengthen the balance between freedom of expression and the protection of human rights in the digital age.

Keywords


Freedom of expression, Hate speech, Indonesia, Germany, Legal certainty.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adyaguhyaka, I. B. G. (2022). Hak-hak masyarakat dalam menyampaikan pendapat dan berekspresi di muka umum terlindungi oleh hukum. Jurnal Judiciary, 11(2).

Andres, R., & Slivko, O. (2023). Combating online hate speech: The impact of legislation on Twitter (Issue 21).

Anhari, I. (2021). SKB tiga menteri soal UU ITE, penegak hukum harus buktikan dulu ujaran kebencian menghasut atau tidak. RMOL.ID. https://rmol.id/read/2021/06/23/493416/SKB-Tiga-Menteri-Soal-UU-ITE--Penegak-Hukum-Harus-Buktikan-Dulu-Ujaran-Kebencian-Menghasut-Atau-Tidak-?

Araujo, L. H. D. (2025). Constitutional law around the globe: Fundamental rights and the freedom of speech in Germany. Revista de Direito, 25(99).

Blesa, J. J. G. (2025). The cultural dimensions of legal certainty: A study on the use of intercultural knowledge in European law-application. A Journal on Law and Integration, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.15166/2499-8249/838

Dietrich, F. (2025). AI-based removal of hate speech from digital social networks: Chances and risks for freedom of expression. AI and Ethics.

Djafar, W. (2013). Kebebasan berekspresi: Perlindungan, implementasi, dan masalahnya.

Donaldson, C. (2024). Militant moralism: The hegemonic consequences of German content moderation. German Law Journal, 25(3). https://doi.org/10.1017/glj.2024.18

Dreeva. (2012, September 17). Kasus Prita Mulyasari.

Griffin, R. (2022). New school speech regulation as a regulatory strategy against hate speech on social media: The case of Germany’s NetzDG. Telecommunications Policy, 46(9).

Handayani, D. A. D., Budiartha, I. N. P., & Widiati, I. A. P. (2023). Eksistensi literasi digital ujaran kebencian dalam perspektif hak asasi manusia dan undang-undang. Jurnal Konstruksi Hukum, 4(2).

Haritjahjono, B. (2025). Implementation of the lex certa principle towards the ambiguity of digital laws in Indonesia. Jurnal Amnesti, 7(1).

Harsya, R. M. K., Wamafma, F., Akmaf, M. S., & Triyantoro, A. (2024). Regulasi konten online dan dampaknya terhadap hak kebebasan berbicara di platform digital di Indonesia. Sanskara Hukum dan HAM, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.58812/shh.v3.i01

Hietanen, M., & Eddebo, J. (2023). Towards a definition of hate speech: With a focus on online contexts. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 47(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/01968599221124309

Kadir, Z. K. (2025). Kriminalisasi tanpa batas: Mengurai penyalahgunaan kekuasaan dalam legislasi kodifikasi hukum pidana modern. Jurnal Hukum, Administrasi Negara, dan Kebijakan Publik, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.62383/presidensial.v2i2.665

Kaemper, S., & Stellbrink, M. (2021). German legislation against hate speech and antisemitism: What applies today and what comes next. Justice, 66.

Kartika, S., & Nurhayati. (2023). Ujaran kebencian di media sosial dalam konteks hukum dan perubahan sosial (studi kasus masyarakat Kota Medan). Jurnal Mecatoria, 16(1).

Kaufmann, S. (2022). Freedom of expression under German law. Italian Journal of Public Law.

Kusumanadi, K. A., & Layang, I. W. B. S. (2021). Pidana ujaran kebencian (studi kasus I Gede Ary Astina). Jurnal Kertha Negara, 9(12).

Ludwig, F., Zesch, T., & Zufall, F. (2025). Conditioning large language models on legal systems? Detecting punishable hate speech. In Proceedings of the 21st Conference on Natural Language Processing (KONVENS 2025).

Maa, S., Wortelker, J., & Rott, A. (2024). Evaluating the regulation of social media: An empirical study of the German NetzDG and Facebook. Telecommunications Policy, 48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2024.102719

Merdeka. (2012, June 27). Tulis blog soal korupsi, sosiolog Musni Umar dipolisikan.

Miptahul. (2020). Analisis yuridis hak kebebasan berpendapat bagi pengguna media sosial menurut UU ITE. SOSEK: Jurnal Sosial dan Ekonomi, 1(2).

Muhammad Ikhsan, & Nurhidayatuloh. (2021). Pembatasan HAM dengan alasan public health emergency dalam hukum HAM dan hukum pidana Indonesia. Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Hukum, 28(2). https://doi.org/10.28946/sc.v28i2.901

Musa, A. A., Mandey, M., & Goni, C. J. J. G. (2025). Tinjauan yuridis penegakan hukum terhadap pelaku ujaran kebencian di media sosial. Jurnal Tana Mana, 6(3).

Muslim, S., & Solapari, N. (2024). The impact of hate speech regulations on freedom of expression: An Indonesian legal perspective. The Easta Journal Law and Human Rights, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.58812/eslhr.v3i01

Notanubun, P. G. (2014). Tinjauan yuridis terhadap kebebasan berbicara dalam UU ITE. Mimbar Keadilan, 1.

Nuryani, & Hajairin. (2025). Analisis yuridis pemenuhan unsur tindak pidana penghinaan dan ujaran kebencian. Jurnal Bimbingan & Konseling Keluarga, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.47476/assyari.v7i4.8437

Parliament, E. (2024). Criminalisation of hate speech and hate crime in selected EU countries.

Pohlmann, J., Barbaresi, A., & Leinen, P. (2023). Platform regulation and overblocking: The NetzDG discourse in Germany. De Gruyter Mouton, 48(3).

Ramadhani, W., Lian, Z., & Hasibuan, M. (2024). Tinjauan hukum atas perbuatan ujaran kebencian. IJCLC: Indonesian Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 5(2).

Roqib, M., Anugraha, H., Putra, S., & Noris, A. (2020). Hak atas kebebasan berekspresi dan berpendapat di Indonesia dan Amerika Serikat. Jurnal Perspektif Hukum, 20(1).

Saragih, G. M. (2025). Overcriminalization dalam sistem hukum pidana Indonesia. Jurnal Puskapsi Law Review, 5(2).

Septiadi, M. A. (2022). Policy and legal analysis on electronic information and transaction laws. Journal UINSGD, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.15575/kh.v4i1.25051

Siallagan, H. (2016). Penerapan prinsip negara hukum di Indonesia. Jurnal Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial dan Humaniora, 18(2).

Sijabat, D., Hidaya, W. A., & Rakia, A. S. R. S. (2026). Hate speech crimes through social media as cyber crimes. Journal of Law Justice, 4(1).

Somefotorono, P., & Sari, B. (2025). Constitutional implications of constitutional court decision No. 105/PUU-XXII/2024 on freedom of expression and defamation in Indonesia. Jurnal Hukum Konstitusional, 4(2).

Stockmann, D., Schlosser, S., & Ksatryo, P. (2023). Social media governance and strategies to combat online hate speech in Germany. Policy & Internet, 15(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/poi3.348

Sumah, D. A. (2025). Implementasi asas ultimum remedium melalui pendekatan restorative justice pada pencemaran nama baik di media sosial. Jurnal Sosial dan Humaniora, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.57250/ajsh.v5i1.1017

Syahid, A., Muhlisin, & Fauzan, M. (2025). Tindak tutur ujaran kebencian bermuatan antargolongan di media sosial Indonesia. Mabasan, 19.

Thomas, M. (2025). From manifestos to Twitter: Radical right parties and hate speech in Germany’s militant democratic context. Political Research Exchange, 7. https://doi.org/10.1080/2474736X.2025.2569407

Together, H. G. (2024). German basic law. Handbook Germany. https://handbookgermany.de/en/basic-law

Valeria Scalia. (2025). Rule of law and hate speech: The role of criminal law in the realm of free speech (Part 1). European Criminal Law Review, 15(1).

Wahyuni, R., & Desiandri, Y. S. (2024). Hak asasi manusia pada kebebasan berpendapat dalam negara demokrasi di Indonesia. Jurnal Sains dan Teknologi, 5(3).

Widyaardana, F. (2026). Problematika pembatasan kebebasan berpendapat di Indonesia. Jurnal Locus, 5(1).

Wulandari, D. (2025). Penerapan tindak pidana ujaran kebencian dan ancaman terhadap kebebasan berbicara. Ranah Research: Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, 7(3).




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.58836/al-qanun.v7i1.28704

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Avivah Firisqi Leksono, Vivi Rohmana

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Lisensi Creative Commons

Al-Qanun: Jurnal Kajian Sosial dan Hukum Islam is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.