Hoax is an attempt to deceive or fool the reader / listener to believe something, even though the creator of the fake news knows that the news is fake. (Wikipedia, n.d.). The current reality of hoax news is increasingly invading the internet seen from the results of a survey on the National Hoax Outbreak by Mastel (2017), that the three highest hoax news dissemination channels came from social media in the form of Facebook at the highest rank of 92.40%, chat applications 62.80%, and website 34.90%. Hoax news itself is more likely to bring negative impacts than positive effects. Bramy Biantoro (2016) mentions that there are four dangers arising from hoax news, namely hoaxes wasting time and money, hoaxes become diversion of issues, hoaxes as a means of public fraud, and hoaxes as a trigger for public panic. Reporting from various sources, there are several types of hoax issues, including those related to religion, social, political issues, as well as those dragging a corporation such as Sari Roti for free, Sari Roti which is renamed as Roti Garmelia, White Coffee drink containing pork, Toothbrush Oral B contains sea urchins, the issue of new Indonesian money is reportedly bearing the hammer and sickle logo even though it is a sign of rovers. From the series of examples above shows the freedom of presenting information is no longer from the journalists but also in the hands of netizens.
The government has taken a firm stand against the spread of hoaxes by issuing several articles including Law No.11 of 2008 on Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE), Law No.40 of 2008 concerning the Elimination of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination, as well as actions when utterance of hate speech has caused social conflict. But in reality the article was not able to reduce the spread of hoaxes. Blocking hoax news with a very large number is inversely proportional to some who are arrested. Then the role of millennial generation is needed to assist the government in combating hoaxes because most users of social media are millennial generation. The steps that millennial generation can take are as follows
Make an Anti Hoax Seminar or Movement
Millennial generation is a smart and critical young generation. Millennial generation participation in eradicating hoaxes by conducting anti-hoax seminars. The younger generation, especially students, need to work together with various parties, including the campus as a gathering place for intellectuals in eradicating hoaxes, invite lecturers, and the campus community to eradicate hoaxes. The seminar was conducted to tell all the people the dangers of hoaxes and how to overcome them.
Anti Hoax Campaign.
Millennial young people who are politically literate have to plunge into the streets scattering brochures, putting up banners, tap on each house to give brochures to eradicate hoaxes to use the cry of action as activists in the fight. Even when this millennial generation is needed must work together with the government such as the police and KPU to eradicate hoaxes.
Mereport Account Spreader
The real action of millennial generation in eradicating hoaxes is not only in the real world. In cyberspace too, the younger generation must guerrilla to eradicate hoaxes by reporting hoax spreader accounts when it is necessary to report these accounts to the Humaspolri division or Bawaslu.
Clarifying Hoax News.
As active social media users, millennial generation needs to clarify by creating a special account to clarify hoax news that circulates through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp social media. Better yet, make a special community of anti-hoaxes on social media for the realization of a safe Indonesia.
Many people think that the impact of a hoax is not too big. This is of course wrong if natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and tsunamis can only destroy an area then hoaxes can destroy the country. Why is that? Because hoaxes can cause hatred, do not trust each other and accuse each other. For example, the hoax news about the Indonesian President a PKI Hoax news caused hatred to the president and an attitude of mistrust of the president. What will become of this country if there is no mutual trust. Hoax can also divide the unity of the nation and state for example hoax about some groups of people who will raise the PKI and indicated PKI this causes some anti-PKI people will oppose it and reject them.
Not only that hoaxes can also cause racism. For example when hoax news circulated that Indonesia would be controlled by China, there arose a racist attitude to the slanted-eyed people and tried to tackle them so that they would not become leaders. Whereas in the case of democracy all people have the right to vote and be elected. To realize the unity and integrity of the nation so that the success of national development, the hoax must be neutralized. So in the context of the independence of the Republic of Indonesia, the role of millennial generation in eradicating hoaxes is very important considering they are most committed to social media. Even though the government has put up a fight against hoaxes by issuing several articles to stop the circulation of hoaxes.
Hoaxes are like monsters that can destroy anything. Hoaxes can make people hostile and hoaxes can also create divisions. While other countries are busy building their country while our country is still busy discussing the hoax will be drained of this country’s energy to take care of hoaxes. Then it should be millennial generation take up the sword to eradicate hoaxes. For the government to focus on developing the country so that development is successful in the next five years. (*)