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Be Wary of the Spread of Radicalism on Social Media

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By: Aldia Putra) *

Almost every community in Indonesia can access social media at any time, this convenience then becomes a gap for radicals to spread their ideology that is contrary to Pancasila. The public was asked to be aware of the spread of radical ideas on social media.

The development and innovation of the world of information technology provides new possibilities for terrorists. Cyber space is a completely open environment, a special place for terrorists to find new resources. Also allows them to carry out propaganda activities.

              The internet especially social media offers relatively simple access and unlimited coverage. Besides that, anonymity to hide identity is also very possible, which of course becomes the advantage for radical groups to protect their identity.

              Groups like ISIS, for example, are more knowledgeable about information technology than other groups, at least almost all radical groups in the Middle East have social media accounts for propaganda.

              Popular social media such as Facebook and Twitter are used by ISIS to spread propaganda content to raise money from sympathizers.

              The actions of ISIS have attracted some western youths to join and become jihadists. They are interested in choosing to be radical because it is considered to be a trend.

              Most of the jihadists from the West apparently have a background that is immersed in the contemporary culture typical of millennial youth. Just call them hooked drunk and go to nightclubs.

              The Guardian says nearly 50 percent of French jihadists have a history of minor crimes such as drug users, street fights and at least some involved in armed robbery.

              Similar backgrounds are also found in Germany and the United States. They wear branded clothes, baseball caps, face coverings and other streetwear clothing models that actually do not show identity as Muslims.

              Of course the two cases are not different and not not caused by social media offering convenience in spreading propaganda and radical content.

              Center for Cultural Studies and Social Change (PSBPS) Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) said that the network is so pesky Facebook is still a potential media to spread radicalism.

              PSBPS researcher Subkhi Ridho said, of the total 262 million people of Indonesia, there are about 132 million people are internet users and around 106 million are users of social media.

              Of that number, Subkhi said that about 60 percent were producers of radicalism from Facebook. While on Twitter, the number of producers spreading radicalism is 39 percent.

              In its findings, PSBPS found that the background that produces and spreads a radical message is that of a male-dominated scholar. The respondents allegedly influenced by books and figures. They use historical references, Youtube and religious figures.

              While other researchers Agus Triyono stressed, social media is not only a key factor, but also a link to spread content from websites or portals to radicalism.

              Of course both social media or website have the same role in the context of radicalism .

              Agus explained that websites from mass organizations such as NU and Muhammadiyah that present counter radicalism information will not be seen by the current millennial generation.

              Social media sometimes targets the public who for the most part have not been able to differentiate information and news.

              This has become a loophole for radical groups to spread radical understanding by utilizing the phenomenon of hoaxes in society.

              Of course the public is demanded to be smarter in differentiating information and news. Me he the mass can be used as a medium to increase intelligence and educate the wider community.

              DPD member from Bengkulu Eni Khairani said, social media is a very effective forum for terrorists and radicals to brainwash young constellations.

              Eni said, literacy needs to be improved to counteract misguided ideology and the government should increase supervision of ‘dangerous’ content.

              Of course we can all fight the spread of radical ideas by strengthening local values, culture and local wisdom.

              Avoid all forms of content that lead to an invitation to intolerance, radical understanding is very easily recognized by its content which invites to hate the state and reject diversity.

) * The writer is a student of IISIP Jakarta

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