Data privacy is no longer a "legal checkbox" in Indonesia.

Since the adoption of Law No. 27 of 2022 on Personal Data Protection (PDP Law), how websites collect, store, and process user data directly affects legal exposure, trust, and even search visibility.

For hospitality, real estate, and service businesses in Bali — where websites handle bookings, inquiries, payments, and international guests — data protection is now part of the core system design.

This article explains what actually matters, without legal overstatements or unnecessary complexity.

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The PDP Law: what it really means in practice

Indonesia's PDP Law aligns Indonesia closer to global privacy standards, but it is not identical to GDPR.

In practice, it requires businesses to:

• collect personal data only for clear purposes,
• inform users how their data is used,
• protect stored data from unauthorized access,
• notify authorities and users in case of serious breaches.

For websites, this translates into technical and organizational responsibilities, not just a privacy policy page.

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What counts as personal data on Bali websites

Many businesses underestimate what qualifies as personal data.

Typical examples include:

• names, email addresses, phone numbers,
• WhatsApp contact details,
• booking dates and preferences,
• passport or ID data (for check-in or contracts),
• payment-related metadata.

If your website processes this data, the PDP Law applies — regardless of company size.

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Consent and transparency: clarity over complexity

The PDP Law emphasizes user awareness, not legal theatrics.

Good practice includes:

• clear consent notices for forms and bookings,
• explaining why data is collected (booking, follow-up, legal compliance),
• avoiding bundled or hidden consent.

Overloaded cookie banners or copied GDPR texts often reduce trust instead of increasing it.

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Secure storage is a system responsibility

Security is not a plugin.

Minimum expectations for Indonesian websites include:

• HTTPS (SSL/TLS) across the entire site,
• encrypted databases for sensitive data,
• access control for admin panels and CRMs,
• regular software updates.

Hotels and real estate platforms should also limit internal access — not every staff member needs full customer data.

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Why security impacts trust and SEO

Security is not only a legal requirement — it is a trust signal.

Search engines evaluate:

• HTTPS usage,
• safe browsing indicators,
• user behavior (bounce rates, engagement).

Visitors abandon sites that feel unsafe, especially when payments or personal data are involved.

This indirectly affects rankings and conversions.

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Choosing third-party tools responsibly

Most Bali businesses rely on external services:

• payment gateways,
• CRM systems,
• analytics and marketing tools.

Key questions to ask vendors:

• where is the data stored,
• how is access controlled,
• do they provide breach notification processes.

Using reputable, transparent providers reduces both legal and operational risk.

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Breaches: risk, reality, and response

Data breaches are not hypothetical.

The real risks include:

• regulatory penalties,
• loss of guest trust,
• reputational damage across booking platforms and reviews.

Prepared businesses:

• limit stored data,
• monitor access logs,
• have a basic incident response plan,
• document responsibilities internally.

Preparation matters more than perfection.

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Privacy policies that actually help

A good privacy policy:

• matches real system behavior,
• avoids copied legal jargon,
• reflects actual tools and processes used.

Inconsistencies between policy and system design create more risk than having a simple policy done right.

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Conclusion

In Indonesia, privacy and security are now part of digital professionalism.

Businesses that treat data protection as a system design concern — not a legal afterthought — gain:

• higher trust,
• better conversion,
• lower operational risk.

For Bali-based hospitality and real estate platforms, this is no longer optional.

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Want to implement proper data privacy and security?

We help Bali businesses:

• audit current data collection and storage practices,
• implement PDP Law compliance measures,
• build secure systems for bookings, payments, and guest data.

👉 Start Your Project and ensure your website meets Indonesian data protection requirements while building guest trust.