TikTok, the popular social media app, has announced that it will suspend its online shopping service in Indonesia. This decision comes in response to new regulations implemented by the Indonesian government, which aim to protect local retailers. Indonesia was the first country to pilot TikTok’s e-commerce service and quickly became one of its biggest markets. However, last week, the government announced that TikTok would have to separate its shopping feature from its video sharing service in the country. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in the loss of TikTok’s license to operate in Indonesia.

The trade minister of Indonesia, Zulkifli Hasan, stated that e-commerce and social media must be kept separate. He also warned social media platforms that they had one week to comply with the new rules. In response, TikTok released a statement saying that their priority is to remain compliant with local laws and regulations. As a result, they will no longer facilitate e-commerce transactions in TikTok Shop Indonesia.

The growth of online retailing in Indonesia has been significant in recent years. The country’s central bank predicts that the value of e-commerce sales will increase more than sixfold between 2018 and next year, reaching 689 trillion Indonesian rupiah. TikTok Shop had been gaining market share in Indonesia’s online shopping market, which is currently dominated by platforms like Tokopedia, Shopee, and Lazada.

Indonesia is home to over 125 million TikTok users, including 6 million sellers and numerous creators who earn money by promoting goods through TikTok Shop. The impact of online retailers on physical shops has been substantial, with many small businesses struggling to compete. The new regulations in Indonesia are another setback for TikTok, which has faced scrutiny in other countries like the US, European Union, and the UK due to security concerns.

In conclusion, TikTok is suspending its online shopping service in Indonesia to comply with new regulations aimed at protecting local retailers. Indonesia was one of TikTok’s biggest markets, but the government’s decision to separate e-commerce from social media has forced TikTok to make this move. The growth of online retailing in Indonesia has had a significant impact on physical shops, and these new regulations are another challenge for TikTok.

Original news source: TikTok: Social media app shuts shop after Indonesia ban (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article. Then, ask each group to write a summary of the article in 3-4 sentences. Afterward, have each group share their summaries with the class and discuss any differences or similarities.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article, such as “TikTok made the right decision to suspend its online shopping service in Indonesia” or “Online retailing has a negative impact on physical shops.” Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give each group a list of statements. Have them discuss each statement and indicate whether they agree or disagree. Then, have each group share their opinions and reasons with the class.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Provide the class with a few key phrases or concepts from the article, such as “TikTok’s online shopping service,” “new regulations in Indonesia,” and “impact of online retailing.” Ask the students to choose one phrase or concept and create a quick sketch or drawing that represents it. Afterward, have each student present their sketch to the class and explain their interpretation.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Ask the students to work individually or in pairs to come up with a catchy headline for the article. Encourage them to be creative and use their knowledge of headline writing techniques. Afterward, have each student or pair share their headline with the class and explain their thought process behind it.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Ask each group to discuss and make predictions about the future of TikTok in Indonesia, considering the suspension of its online shopping service and the new regulations. Have them consider factors such as the impact on TikTok’s user base, competition with other e-commerce platforms, and potential challenges or opportunities. Afterward, have each group share their predictions with the class and facilitate a discussion.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the reason behind TikTok’s decision to suspend its online shopping service in Indonesia?
2. What new regulations did the Indonesian government implement that led to TikTok’s suspension of its online shopping service?
3. Who is the trade minister of Indonesia and what did he state regarding e-commerce and social media?
4. How long did TikTok have to comply with the new rules set by the Indonesian government?
5. What did TikTok state in response to the new regulations?
6. How much is the value of e-commerce sales predicted to increase in Indonesia between 2018 and next year?
7. What other platforms currently dominate Indonesia’s online shopping market?
8. How many TikTok users are there in Indonesia, and how do they earn money through TikTok Shop?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

TikTok, the popular social media app, has announced that it will suspend its online shopping service in Indonesia. This decision comes in response to new regulations implemented by the Indonesian government, which aim to protect local (1)______. Indonesia was the first (2)______ to pilot TikTok’s e-commerce service and quickly became one of its biggest (3)______. However, last week, the government announced that TikTok would have to separate its shopping (4)______ from its video sharing service in the country. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in the loss of TikTok’s license to operate in Indonesia.

The trade minister of Indonesia, Zulkifli Hasan, (5)______ that e-commerce and social media must be kept separate. He also warned social media platforms that they had one week to comply with the new rules. In (6)______, (7)______ released a statement (8)______ that their priority is to remain compliant with local laws and regulations. As a result, they will no longer facilitate e-commerce transactions in TikTok Shop Indonesia.

The growth of online retailing in Indonesia has been significant in recent years. The country’s central bank predicts that the value of e-commerce sales will increase more than sixfold between 2018 and next year, reaching 689 trillion (9)______n rupiah. TikTok Shop had been gaining market share in Indonesia’s online shopping market, which is currently (10)______ by (11)______ like Tokopedia, Shopee, and Lazada.

Indonesia is home to over 125 million TikTok users, including 6 million sellers and numerous creators who earn money by promoting goods through TikTok Shop. The impact of online retailers on physical (12)______ has been substantial, with many small businesses struggling to compete. The new regulations in Indonesia are another setback for TikTok, which has (13)______ scrutiny in other countries like the US, European Union, and the UK due to security (14)______.

In conclusion, TikTok is suspending its online shopping service in Indonesia to comply with new regulations aimed at protecting local retailers. Indonesia was one of TikTok’s biggest markets, but the government’s decision to separate e-commerce from social media has forced TikTok to make this move. The growth of online retailing in Indonesia has had a (15)______ impact on physical shops, and these new regulations are another (16)______ for TikTok.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your opinion on the Indonesian government’s decision to separate e-commerce from social media?
2. How do you think this suspension of TikTok’s online shopping service will affect small businesses in Indonesia?
3. Do you think it is important for social media platforms to comply with local laws and regulations? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if your country implemented similar regulations to protect local retailers?
5. Do you think the growth of online retailing is a positive or negative development for physical shops? Why?
6. What impact do you think TikTok’s suspension of its online shopping service will have on its popularity among Indonesian users?
7. How do you think the suspension of TikTok’s online shopping service will affect other e-commerce platforms in Indonesia?
8. Have you ever used TikTok’s online shopping service? If so, what was your experience like?
9. What do you think are the main security concerns associated with TikTok and other social media platforms?
10. Do you think social media platforms should be responsible for regulating e-commerce transactions? Why or why not?
11. How do you think this suspension of TikTok’s online shopping service will affect TikTok’s overall business in Indonesia?
12. Have you ever experienced any negative consequences as a result of the growth of online retailing in your country?
13. What do you think could be done to strike a balance between supporting local retailers and allowing for the growth of online retailing?
14. How do you think the suspension of TikTok’s online shopping service will impact the livelihoods of TikTok creators who earn money through promoting goods?
15. Do you think other countries should consider implementing similar regulations to protect local retailers? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. TikTok
2. Indonesia
3. e-commerce
4. regulations
5. social media
6. online shopping
7. local retailers
8. market

Meanings:
(a) Rules or laws set by the government
(b) Businesses that operate within a specific area or community
(c) The popular social media app
(d) The act of purchasing goods and services on the internet
(e) Platforms like TikTok and Facebook
(f) The country where TikTok is suspending its online shopping service
(g) The buying and selling of goods and services online
(h) The place where goods and services are bought and sold
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why is TikTok suspending its online shopping service in Indonesia?
(a) To focus on its video sharing service
(b) To protect local retailers
(c) To comply with new regulations
(d) To expand into other markets

2. What was Indonesia’s role in TikTok’s e-commerce service?
(a) It was the largest market for the service
(b) It implemented new regulations for the service
(c) It separated e-commerce from social media
(d) It was the first country to pilot the service

3. Who announced the new regulations in Indonesia?
(a) TikTok
(b) The trade minister
(c) The government
(d) The central bank

4. What is the predicted increase in the value of e-commerce sales in Indonesia?
(a) More than sixfold
(b) Double
(c) Triple
(d) Stay the same

5. Which platforms currently dominate Indonesia’s online shopping market?
(a) TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram
(b) Tokopedia, Shopee, and Lazada
(c) Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba
(d) Walmart, Target, and Best Buy

6. How many TikTok users are there in Indonesia?
(a) Over 6 million
(b) Over 125 million
(c) Over 689 trillion
(d) Over 125 thousand

7. How do creators on TikTok earn money?
(a) By promoting goods through TikTok Shop
(b) By sharing videos on the platform
(c) By selling products on the platform
(d) By advertising for other brands

8. Which other countries have scrutinized TikTok due to security concerns?
(a) China, Japan, and South Korea
(b) Australia, New Zealand, and Canada
(c) Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina
(d) US, European Union, and UK

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The growth of online retailing in Indonesia has been insignificant in recent years.
2. The decision to suspend the online shopping service is in response to new regulations implemented by the Indonesian government.
3. The trade minister of Indonesia stated that e-commerce and social media must be kept separate.
4. The Indonesian government has required TikTok to combine its shopping feature with its video sharing service.
5. TikTok has announced that it will suspend its online shopping service in Indonesia.
6. TikTok released a statement saying that their priority is to disregard local laws and regulations.
7. Failure to comply with the new regulations could result in the preservation of TikTok’s license to operate in Indonesia.
8. Indonesia was the first country to pilot TikTok’s e-commerce service.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the reason behind TikTok’s decision to suspend its online shopping service in Indonesia?
2. What new regulations did the Indonesian government implement that affected TikTok’s e-commerce service?
3. How has the growth of online retailing in Indonesia impacted physical shops?
4. How many TikTok users are there in Indonesia, and how many of them are sellers?
5. Besides Indonesia, in which other countries has TikTok faced scrutiny due to security concerns?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. The reason behind TikTok’s decision to suspend its online shopping service in Indonesia is to comply with new regulations implemented by the Indonesian government.
2. The Indonesian government implemented new regulations that require e-commerce and social media to be kept separate.
3. The trade minister of Indonesia is Zulkifli Hasan. He stated that e-commerce and social media must be kept separate.
4. TikTok had one week to comply with the new rules set by the Indonesian government.
5. In response to the new regulations, TikTok stated that their priority is to remain compliant with local laws and regulations. As a result, they will no longer facilitate e-commerce transactions in TikTok Shop Indonesia.
6. The value of e-commerce sales is predicted to increase more than sixfold between 2018 and next year, reaching 689 trillion Indonesian rupiah.
7. The platforms that currently dominate Indonesia’s online shopping market are Tokopedia, Shopee, and Lazada.
8. There are over 125 million TikTok users in Indonesia, including 6 million sellers and numerous creators who earn money by promoting goods through TikTok Shop.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) retailers
(2) country
(3) markets
(4) feature
(5) stated
(6) response
(7) TikTok
(8) saying
(9) Indonesia
(10) dominated
(11) platforms
(12) shops
(13) faced
(14) concerns
(15) significant
(16) challenge
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. TikTok
Answer: (c) The popular social media app

2. Indonesia
Answer: (f) The country where TikTok is suspending its online shopping service

3. e-commerce
Answer: (g) The buying and selling of goods and services online

4. regulations
Answer: (a) Rules or laws set by the government

5. social media
Answer: (e) Platforms like TikTok and Facebook

6. online shopping
Answer: (d) The act of purchasing goods and services on the internet

7. local retailers
Answer: (b) Businesses that operate within a specific area or community

8. market
Answer: (h) The place where goods and services are bought and sold
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why is TikTok suspending its online shopping service in Indonesia?
Answer: (c) To comply with new regulations

2. What was Indonesia’s role in TikTok’s e-commerce service?
Answer: (d) It was the first country to pilot the service

3. Who announced the new regulations in Indonesia?
Answer: (c) The government

4. What is the predicted increase in the value of e-commerce sales in Indonesia?
Answer: (a) More than sixfold

5. Which platforms currently dominate Indonesia’s online shopping market?
Answer: (b) Tokopedia, Shopee, and Lazada

6. How many TikTok users are there in Indonesia?
Answer: (b) Over 125 million

7. How do creators on TikTok earn money?
Answer: (a) By promoting goods through TikTok Shop

8. Which other countries have scrutinized TikTok due to security concerns?
Answer: (d) US, European Union, and UK
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The growth of online retailing in Indonesia has been insignificant in recent years. (Answer: False)
2. The decision to suspend the online shopping service is in response to new regulations implemented by the Indonesian government. (Answer: True)
3. The trade minister of Indonesia stated that e-commerce and social media must be kept separate. (Answer: True)
4. The Indonesian government has required TikTok to combine its shopping feature with its video sharing service. (Answer: False)
5. TikTok has announced that it will suspend its online shopping service in Indonesia. (Answer: True)
6. TikTok released a statement saying that their priority is to disregard local laws and regulations. (Answer: False)
7. Failure to comply with the new regulations could result in the preservation of TikTok’s license to operate in Indonesia. (Answer: False)
8. Indonesia was the first country to pilot TikTok’s e-commerce service. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧