Lamongan, en.SERU.co.id – Ipda Purnomo, a police officer with the Lamongan Police Force who also runs the YouTube channel Purnomo Belajar Baik, will deactivate his AdSense account starting October 1, 2026. The decision came after he was visited by officials from a government agency who asked about the income he earns from his social media activities. Although he briefly considered shutting down his channel entirely, Purnomo has chosen to keep producing humanitarian content without monetization.
Purnomo said the officials arrived carrying an official assignment letter. They then asked about the earnings he receives through his YouTube channel and other social media activity.
“At first I wanted to close my YouTube account. But many people and subscribers called asking me not to shut it down,” Purnomo said, as quoted by Kompas.com on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
The Purnomo Belajar Baik channel has more than 2.7 million subscribers and features thousands of videos documenting various social initiatives. Its content includes footage of the handling and care of people with mental health conditions, known locally as ODGJ, as well as assistance for orphans and the distribution of aid to underprivileged communities in Lamongan and surrounding areas.
“So in the end, I decided to keep making content on YouTube. As for the AdSense, I plan to deactivate it starting next month, in October. As it happens, my YouTube is also currently blocked,” he said.
A Decade of Caring for People with Mental Health Conditions
Beyond his duties as a member of the Indonesian National Police, Purnomo serves as head of the community guidance unit at the Lamongan Police’s community development division. He is also active in social work through the Berkas Bersinar Abadi Foundation, which he founded.
One of the foundation’s main activities is caring for and rehabilitating people with mental health conditions. Over roughly 10 years, Purnomo said his programs have provided assistance to around 7,000 people with mental health conditions from various regions across Indonesia.
In recent years, he and his team of volunteers have also carried out a range of social activities, including providing financial assistance to people in need and distributing scholarships to orphans.
In recognition of these efforts, Lamongan Police Chief AKBP Arif Fazlurrahman awarded Purnomo a certificate numbered PP/87/VI/2026 on June 2, 2026. He was deemed to have made a tangible contribution that goes beyond his core duties as a police officer.
“Alhamdulillah, this award is an honor. But for me personally, it is a bonus from God,” Purnomo said in June.
According to Purnomo, the recognition has instead motivated him to continue his humanitarian work alongside his volunteers. He also dedicated the award to his entire team, the volunteers, and the community members who have supported his social activities.
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YouTubers Still Subject to Tax Rules
Inge Diana Rismawanti, director of counseling, services, and public relations at the Directorate General of Taxes under the Ministry of Finance, explained that the income of content creators, influencers, YouTubers, and artists falls under separate tax provisions.
“Professions whose income comes from services, expertise, or personal capacity are treated under the tax provisions for services related to independent work,” Inge said, as quoted by Kompas.com on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
She explained that the independent work category covers a wide range of professions, including experts, artists, athletes, advisors, teachers, trainers, preachers, counselors, moderators, authors, researchers, translators, advertising agents, project supervisors or managers, intermediaries, insurance agents, and multi-level marketing distributors.
The same rules apply to influencers, Instagram celebrities, YouTubers, and content creators, as long as the income they earn comes from services or their personal capacity as makers or creators of online content.
For taxpayers earning less than Rp4.8 billion in a year, Inge explained that net income can be calculated using the Net Income Calculation Norm, known as NPPN. The norm is a specific percentage set by the tax office based on the taxpayer’s business sector. (aan/mzm)
