Indonesia’s New Criminal Code , passed in late 2022 and taking effect in 2026, includes controversial provisions that criminalize extramarital sex and cohabitation, directly linking "mesum" acts to potential state prosecution.

National identity remains tied to religious and communal harmony.

Prior to the raid, the couples had arranged meetings via anonymous Telegram groups and dating apps like Tantan and Bumble. During interrogation (which was live-streamed on TikTok by local journalists), one suspect, a university student from Malang, cried, "Kami cuma curhat dan pelukan, Pak. Itu mesum?" (We were just talking and hugging, sir. Is that immoral?)

July 2024 also saw the rise of "digital mesum." A massive leak of onlyFans-style content from Indonesian creators blew up on Twitter (X) in mid-July. The creators, operating under pseudonyms like Mona_lover and Bude_Jaksel , produced explicit content for foreign subscribers. When their faces were doxxed, netizens were divided.