- 21/08/2023
- Category: Press Release
Yogyakarta, July 31, 2023 – Center for Digital Society (CfDS) UGM, in collaboration with Perludem, presented the fifth edition of Digital and Election Issues (Desus). In Desus #5, titled “Halting Election Hoaxes and Disinformation in the Digital Sphere,” CfDS UGM and Perludem thoroughly examined potential phenomena that may occur during Indonesia’s 2024 elections. Those potentials are marked by a significant prevalence of hoaxes and disinformation. Notable speakers were present in this discussion, which are Desi Rahmawati (Researcher, PolGov Research Centre) and Nurul Amalia (Researcher, Perludem), as well as moderated by Rafly Shofian (Community Outreach Assistant, CfDS). The event can be reviewed at this video.
Desus #5 presented distinctive viewpoints from the speakers. Desi Rahmawati defined, categorized, and analyzed the trends of hoaxes in Indonesia. Desi highlighted pertinent issues surrounding hoaxes and disinformation, including the propagation of hatred in 2019 and the persistent nature of disinformation and hate dissemination leading up to 2024. Desi emphasized that hoaxes had the potential to disturb society, impact the electoral process, and undermine the democratic environment. Meanwhile, disinformation could result in the election of inept leaders, she added.
Addressing these concerns, Desi commended the government’s efforts to enhance digital literacy and reduce polarization. Despite achieving some success in mitigating the impact of hoaxes and disinformation in the digital political landscape, the threats posed by these challenges remained relevant. “Consequently, young voters played a pivotal role in addressing this challenge. They needed to exercise prudent information selection and question the utility and urgency of information before sharing it,” Desi stressed. If deemed necessary, the subsequent step was to verify reliable sources and critically analyze content before deciding to disseminate it further. This way, young voters could help minimize the negative impact of hoax and disinformation dissemination within society, fostering a healthier information ecosystem.
Nurul Amalia enriched the discourse by supplementing Desi Rahmawati’s statements. Nurul underscored that digital campaigns often featured misinformation intended to discredit opponents and promote political agendas. She also cited Perludem’s research, which revealed instances of disinformation and intimidation in political advertisements, particularly targeting minority groups. “Social media served as a platform for marketing personal data and users’ political preferences, which were exploited for content targeting. Political parties allocated significant funds for targeted political advertising tailored to specific societal segments,” noted Nurul. Discriminatory political ads persisted in certain Indonesian regions. Each year, new types of hoaxes emerged, as witnessed in 2019 with themes involving mutual support for political figures and foreign interference in elections. Voter suppression also occurred through regulatory discrimination, intimidation, and voter rights infringement.
Responding to the dynamics prompted by hoaxes and disinformation, Nurul suggested various measures to counteract hoaxes. These efforts included government and societal involvement in pre-bunking based on previous election experiences, electoral literacy to identify and reinforce resistance to disinformation, and content moderation to establish a secure social media ecosystem for voters.
Author: Allysa Putri Rendry
Editor: Ni Kadek Ayu Pratiwi
