British content creator fined and facing deportation from Bali

08:00

By: Sahili Aya

British content creator fined and facing deportation from Bali

A British online content creator, known publicly as Bonnie Blue, is expected to be deported from Indonesia’s Bali island after receiving a minor fine linked to traffic violations, according to statements from her lawyer.

Local authorities conducted a raid last week in Badung, a busy tourist district near Denpasar, and briefly detained the 26-year-old woman, whose real name is Tia Billinger. Three other foreign nationals — two from the United Kingdom and one from Australia — were also questioned on suspicion of creating prohibited material. Police later confirmed that no illegal content had been found during the operation.

Instead, Billinger and another British citizen, Liam Andrew Jackson, were each fined 200,000 rupiah (around 12 USD) for breaking local traffic rules. Judge I Ketut Somanasa of the Denpasar District Court stated that the violations had been committed “jointly and repeatedly.”

During the raid, officers seized a blue pickup truck said to have irregular registration, a matter reported by the British press earlier in the week. According to local media, the vehicle had not been taxed for some time and had been repainted without official notification.

Billinger’s lawyer, Edward Pangkahila, explained that despite the small fine, immigration officials were pushing for a swift deportation and hoped to carry it out within hours. He added that his client would cooperate fully with authorities.

Indonesia maintains strict laws regulating online content and general public behavior, even on the largely tourist-friendly island of Bali. Officials have repeatedly expressed concern about disrespectful conduct from a minority of foreign visitors, following several high-profile deportation cases in recent years.