Digital Platforms Become the Key to Successfully Countering Hoaxes in the 2024 Regional Elections

By: Andi Ramli
The 2024 regional elections, which involve the simultaneous election of regional heads across various regions in Indonesia, are predicted to be one of the largest political events in the country. In the midst of technological advancements and digital developments, one of the biggest challenges in regional elections is not just about campaigning, but also the spread of hoaxes or false news.
Along with the increasing use of social media, the risk of spreading hoaxes that can undermine the democratic order is also rising. Therefore, the synergy between the government and digital platforms becomes an important solution in countering misleading information and maintaining the quality of democracy in Indonesia.
The government, through the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemenkominfo), has prepared strategic steps to address the potential spread of hoaxes in the 2024 regional elections. One of the keys is collaboration with various major digital platforms, such as YouTube, Facebook, and X. (sebelumnya Twitter).
This collaboration aims to ensure that information regarding prospective regional heads and the progress of the local elections is monitored directly and swiftly by the relevant parties.
The Director General of Public Information and Communication (IKP) of the Ministry of Communication and Information, Prabu Revolusi, stated that this collaborative effort is part of a comprehensive strategy to uphold the integrity of the regional elections. The government will collaborate with digital platforms to monitor information regarding candidates for regional heads.
If hoaxes or misinformation are found, the government is ready to take swift action. This effort is expected to effectively reduce the spread of false information and expedite the clarification process for incorrect or misleading information.
Along with the development of technology, social media has become an important part of people’s daily lives. Information circulates very quickly, and this brings new challenges in maintaining the truth of information, especially ahead of major political events like regional elections. This is where the role of digital platforms becomes very important.
The collaboration between the Ministry of Communication and Information and these digital platforms is not merely a form of oversight, but also creates a system capable of quickly responding to any threats of misinformation that could divide society.
One of the things emphasized by the king is the importance of creating a monitoring system that is integrated with digital platforms. This system will perform “tagging” on information related to prospective regional heads.
This means that every piece of information regarding potential regional leaders will be monitored directly by a special team. Thus, if there are efforts to spread hoaxes or misinformation, swift action can be taken.
This step reflects how serious the government is about maintaining the quality of information circulating on social media. Not only to limit the spread of hoaxes, but also to encourage public awareness of the importance of digital literacy. The public is encouraged to be more discerning in filtering information and not to be easily provoked by news that may not be true.

At the local level, similar efforts are also being made by the police to combat hoaxes. The Criminal Investigation Unit of the Pekanbaru Police has taken the initiative to collaborate with influencers and social media administrators as the frontline in countering issues that could divide society, particularly those related to ethnicity, religion, race, and intergroup relations. (SARA).
The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Pekanbaru Police, Commissioner Berry Juana Putra, emphasized that this collaboration is an important step in realizing a peaceful regional election.
Berry expressed his hope that social media admins and influencers can play an active role in helping to prevent the spread of hoaxes, especially those that have the potential to divide society. With their support, the process of identifying and addressing false information is expected to proceed more quickly and effectively.
The role of social media activists in countering hoaxes has become very significant considering they have direct access to thousands, even millions, of followers. The information they spread can quickly influence public opinion. Therefore, it is important for influencers and social media administrators to ensure that the information they share is verified for accuracy.
Not only in Pekanbaru, but also in various other regions in Indonesia, the police and related agencies continue to strive to build synergy with social media activists. Through this collaboration, it is hoped that every piece of information circulating in the community can be better controlled, especially regarding sensitive issues leading up to the regional elections.
On the other hand, countering hoaxes is not just about monitoring and enforcement, but also about education. The community needs to be equipped with good digital literacy skills so that they can be more discerning in consuming information.
This is important considering that not everyone has the same awareness of the dangers of hoaxes. Many people still tend to believe information without conducting further verification.
The 2024 regional elections will be an important moment for the journey of democracy in Indonesia. In the midst of the growing challenges posed by the spread of hoaxes, the synergy between the government, digital platforms, and social media activists becomes the key to successfully maintaining the smoothness and peace of the regional elections. This collaboration is not only to monitor and take action against hoaxes but also to enhance digital literacy among the public.
Through this effort, it is hoped that the 2024 regional elections can proceed more safely and peacefully, free from the negative influence of hoaxes. The community is also expected to be more wise in consuming information and not easily provoked by fake news. Let’s work together to uphold a healthy and quality democracy by being smart and responsible internet users.

*) National Political Analysis – Indonesian Democracy Study Forum