This can occur due to political differences of opinion, social tensions, and feelings of dissatisfaction which can be exploited by radical groups.
So the public must remain alert to radicalism movements ahead of the 2024 election.
Elections are important moments in the democratic life of a country, and radicalism movements can threaten political stability, tolerance and security.
Radicalism in the digital space can refer to the spread of radical ideology, fake news (hoaxes), dangerous rhetoric, or acts of extremism through online platforms such as social media, websites and messaging applications.
So it is important to increase public awareness about the dangers of radicalism in the digital space, as well as carrying out effective educational campaigns that can help individuals understand how to identify dangerous content and check the veracity of information before sharing it.
Ahead of the 2024 elections, the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemenkominfo) will maintain the digital space so that the 2024 simultaneous elections are free from various hoax information and radicalism.
Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo), Budi Arie Setiadi, said that his party had coordinated with various parties to take steps to prevent and handle hoaxes, disinformation and also radicalism in the digital space.
According to him, the essence of holding elections is to unite fellow members of the nation and contribute to improving the quality of democracy.
Therefore, all parties have a role to play in maintaining a safe and healthy digital space.
Apart from that, the Ministry of Communication and Information has cut off access to hundreds of accounts and content in the digital space that are indicated to contain indoctrination or radicalism activities.
Terminating access to this content was carried out to support the safe and peaceful implementation of the 2024 elections.
The Minister of Communication and Information is not selective about sites that have the potential to divide the nation, especially ahead of the 2024 election, to be immediately blocked.
This step is an anticipatory step so that the election can run conducively.
Currently, the digital world is not just an internet platform, but a meta reality, namely a new reality where everyone relies on all their activities on the internet and digital networks.
In this meta-reality world, radical and terrorist groups spread propaganda, spread slander, hoaxes, hate speech and hostility.
So that in conditions of information chaos, it can become an opportunity and momentum for radical and terrorist groups to launch agitation, propaganda and terror to disrupt the stability and security of a country.
These digital terror acts were carried out for various purposes, namely economic, ideological and political.
Politically, this digital crime is carried out in order to delegitimize certain political groups, delegitimize the constitution and law enforcement officials, as well as delegitimize the government and the results of constitutional democracy.
Apart from that, the Daily Executive (Plh) Head of the Counter Narrative Sub-Directorate of the Prevention Directorate at the Special Detachment (Densus) 88 Anti-terror Police Headquarters, AKBP Mayndra Eka Wardhana said that digital media has become a means of spreading narratives of radicalism, extremism and terrorism with various purposes, starting from recruitment, propaganda, division of society, and support for terrorism.
Identification of such narratives can be done by understanding the context of the narrative being spread and analyzing whether the content has the potential to be destructive and lead to an invitation to set aside Pancasila and violate the law in Indonesia.
Radical groups or foreign actors can utilize social media and online platforms to spread hoaxes, fake news, and propaganda designed to influence voters and create distrust in the election process.
In addition, radical groups will attempt to intimidate voters or candidates who may not agree with their views, so that radical groups may engage in acts of violence, threats, or intimidation campaigns.
With the threat of radicalism ahead of the 2024 elections, the authorities must work together with online platform providers such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to remove radical content, accounts that support radicalism, identify and stop disinformation campaigns.
As well as strengthening the legal framework to deal with radicalism in the digital space, including laws regulating the use of social media, sanctions for perpetrators of radicalism, and privacy protection regulations.
Efforts to prevent radicalism, terrorism and hoax content are carried out to ensure productive and healthy elections for the Indonesian people.
Apart from that, public awareness of radical content must also be increased, because if not, society could be influenced, thereby having an impact on their social life.
Elections are a crucial time to maintain country stability and ensure the democratic process runs well.
Therefore, vigilance against radicalism in the digital space is a must, and collaborative efforts from various parties are key to preventing the spread of radical ideology and ensuring fair and safe elections.
