A significant modern driver of this surveillance culture is the (Indonesia Without Dating) movement.

– In the dense urban sprawls of Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, where private space is a luxury and public parks are few, a familiar yet controversial scene unfolds nightly. Behind the iron grilles of a kos-kosan (boarding house), in the dark corners of a cinema balcony, or along the secluded paths of Monas, young couples seek refuge. And nearby, almost inevitably, lurks the pengintip (peeper).

In the bustling urban landscapes of Jakarta, Surabaya, or Bandung, a young couple sits in a quiet corner of a café. They are not holding hands; they are simply talking. Yet, across the room, a group of strangers points their phones, whispers, and giggles. Within an hour, the couple’s faces appear on a Twitter feed or TikTok account with the caption, “Lucu banget sih ini pacaran di tempat umum, berani-beraninya.” (How cute, they dare to date in public).

Motif dan konteks

The smartphone has weaponized peeping. In 2023-2024, Indonesia saw a spike in "Konten Mesum di Tempat Umum" (Lewd content in public places) shared via anonymous confession accounts.