This study aims to analyze the effect of privatization (go public) and corporate governance on the level of accounting conservatism in state‐owned public sector enterprises (SOEs). Using a research sample of SOEs that have been privatized and not privatized in Indonesia in the period 2010–2014 or as many as 224 firm‐years, the results of this study indicate that although there is a tendency to increase accounting conservatism in SOEs, this is not solely due to privatization of SOEs, but more due to improved corporate governance in SOEs in Indonesia. Therefore, this study has implications for the Government and other parties involved in the management of SOEs, so that they will prioritize increasing the implementation of good governance rather than privatization, especially in order to improve the quality of financial reporting in SOEs in Indonesia.