The Principle of Prudence in the ITE Law on Love Scam Cases

Abstract

This research explores how the prudential principle is applied within Indonesia’s Information and Electronic Transactions Law (ITE Law) in responding to romance-scam offenses conducted via social media. The swift expansion of digital communication has enabled the emergence of new cybercrime patterns, particularly deceptive romantic schemes that inflict financial and emotional losses on victims. Employing a normative juridical method, this study evaluates the degree to which the ITE Law integrates the prudence principle as a basis for preventing, identifying, and enforcing actions against online romance fraud. The results indicate that, although the ITE Law outlines a broad regulatory structure for digital conduct, its prudence-related preventive measures remain limited and demand clearer interpretation from law enforcement bodies. Reinforcing the prudential standard in online interactions is crucial to improving public awareness, ensuring legal clarity, and safeguarding individuals from cyber-based romantic manipulation.