By: Firman Aldiansyah (Chairperson of Jambi Regional Independent Social Media Activists Forum)
Polda Metro Jaya asked the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemenkominfo) to block 218 social media accounts (social media). More than half (110 accounts) are currently being processed at the Indonesian Police Headquarters, with allegations of spreading false news and hate speech. Of course this must be dealt with firmly. Especially in the midst of the community’s difficulties in facing the Covid-19 pandemic, there are still many hoaxes stocked on social media.
Hoaxes and hate speeches on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic could disrupt the government’s efforts to break the chain of transmission. Various slanders, false news, and expressions of hatred, as if free to be exposed in public areas. Including the performance of the Covid-19 Handling Acceleration Task Force. Most people are not aware of the impact caused by social power. They only know the news or information raw without any processing of ways of thinking and acting. As well as the impact it causes.
The current national situation facing the Covid-19 pandemic should be a momentum for the defense of the country for every person. However, just the opposite. Many citizens intentionally or unintentionally spread hoaxes and false news. Therefore, many people are confused by the news they receive. Everything became a maze, even though it should have been in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, people were getting factual and actual news easily. It seemed to have become a culture, every time there was a national issue, accompanied by news and information that was inconsequential.
On certain issues, related to the distribution of social assistance (social assistance) has the potential to threaten national peace because it is considered not on target. Likewise, the insistence on the implementation of the lockdown status which was intensely voiced in social media disturbed the comfort of the community. Even though the lockdown idiom is not known in the Health Belief Law. Also unknown in the Disaster Management Act. It is said that the hoax, as a “reply” to the government accused of exposing lying data, is related to the number of positive people in Covid-19. As well as the mockery of the lack of PPE supply which is hotly debated.
So the “sword of law” must be upheld against the hoax as a guarantee of the peace of the atmosphere of the PSBB. For two months (mid-March to May 2020) Police tracked 443 accounts of hoaxes and hate speech. A large enough number to disturb the normality of community life.
A total of 221 were found guilty and will continue in the realm of law enforcement. Hoax account details are spread across various platforms, namely: hoax accounts on Instagram as many as 179 accounts, as many as 27 accounts, while Twitter is as many as 10 accounts and WhatsApp as many as 5 accounts.
The data proves that it is no longer a secret that in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic many parties are more concerned with themselves. Instead of returning to their respective positions and acting with their respective capacities, it becomes increasingly difficult and more expensive to handle Corona Virus.
Issues that are stocked are very diverse, such as lockdown issues, shortages of staple supplies, rare masks, to hard-to-get hand sanitizers. This clearly has a negative impact on society, especially the lower middle class. So that people in the class are very susceptible to exposure to Corona Virus due to lack of a means of preventing exposure to the virus.
Once again, the impact of information on social media is very big influence on changes in society. Good if the resulting changes are positive. But if we look from the beginning of the emergence of Covid-19 until now, the negative impacts are more dominant.
Resistance against hoaks in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak also became a very important contribution to the success and success of Indonesia in the future. The Indonesian people must immediately rise from adversity due to Covid-19. It’s time for all elements of the community to work together, support each other against Covid-19. One of them is by increasing literacy and blocking hoaxes on social media. Society must actively defend the truth and get rid of the bad.
Now, let’s take care of optimism by destroying the Covid-19 hoax that is hindering the completion of the Covid-19 pandemic, cherish our own family and nation by not spreading Covid-19 hoaxes and together support the government in overcoming this pandemic.