Hoax and Election: The Role of Social Media and Challenges for Indonesian Government Policy

Abstract

The existence of a free media is an indicator of the quality of a country's democracy. The latest media, especially social media, is both an advantage and a challenge in the country's democratic process. Social media has become an alternative channel for politicians to build dialogue with their constituents. Therefore, social media has become an effective tool for political campaigning. Unfortunately, in the absence of control over the information being disseminated, social media has become a platform for the spread of hoax information. The research question is, did social media play a role in the spread of hoaxes during the general election, and what is the government's policy towards it? This research uses a qualitative method with data collection through literature studies and interviews with bureaucrats from government agencies, political elites, experts, and internet activists. The study found that instead of being a tool for political education, social media became a tool for spreading hoax information during the general election. The spread of hoax information that influences voter preferences or leads public opinion is caused by the absence of regulations governing social media. In addition, there is also a lack of digital literacy culture in Indonesia. The Electronic Information and Transaction Law, the Election Law and other derivative regulations are not sufficient to regulate the use of social media, especially in relation to elections. Political education is also still limited to educated people, so a broader political education is needed for the community to counteract hoax information during general elections.