The pendulum of threats to press freedom in Indonesia has shifted. The main threat of press freedom has changed from the public, to the political, business or military elites. The actors are now no longer mass groups, political parties’ task forces or paramilitary groups, but instead public officials, businessmen or military officers. The form of attacks against freedom of the press is no longer direct forms of violence, but structural violence. Attacks toward the press are now done using legal-formal approaches, using weaknesses in regulations and rule of law, and by influencing the public with official discourses as put by government.

In this context, the lessening number of unilateral actions (i.e. mass violence against the press does not mean that the freedom of the press is now safe. It is dangerous if the press community applies the “safe psychology” and considers that the press freedom is in a normal condition. Focus of the attention should be director towards elements of power. The most serious threat towards press freedom comes now from the authorities, with even worse effects compared to mass violence.