By : Barra Dwi Rajendra )*
Radicalism is a threat because it continues to spread ahead of the 2024 elections, including through social media. Therefore, there needs to be supervision on social media so that there is no radical content so that the 2024 elections run smoothly.
Social media (medsos) has become the favorite application of the Indonesian people, even netizens in this country are one of the largest users of social media. Social media is used not only to exist and increase your network of friends. But also for branding and other purposes.
However, social media is currently becoming very distorted because it is being misused by radical groups. They have followed technology and no longer carry out attacks in the real world (by shooting or bombing) which require large funds. However, radical groups use social media to spread radical content so that people’s minds are poisoned.
After people’s minds were influenced by radical groups, they began to hate various government programs, including elections. In fact, this situation is dangerous because the high rate of abstainers (white groups) could damage Indonesian democracy and threaten the principles of elections, namely honest and fair.
Vice President (wapres) KH Ma’ruf Amin stated that he asked the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) and security forces to anticipate radical terrorism on social media ahead of the 2024 elections. This is because social media is one of the channels that makes many people exposed to radical ideology of terrorism.
KH Ma’ruf Amin added that currently many people have been detected who have been exposed to radicalism because they were recruited by certain groups, but from social media. In that sense, social media has a very big influence on Indonesian society. They can be influenced by radical ideas so that they join in hating the government and decide to abstain because they are anti-election.
Supervision on social media is necessary because elections are a very important program for advancing Indonesia. The public agrees with the vice president’s appeal because they also want social media to be healthier. Don’t let the smooth implementation of the sacred elections be disrupted by radical and terrorist groups.
The way to monitor social media is to collaborate with the social media platform/company owner. After there is an agreement, if there is content that contains radical and terrorist beliefs, it will be immediately deleted by the social media platform. Meanwhile, the account that spreads the content is blocked or deleted forever so that it can no longer act.
The public can participate in monitoring social media by reporting radical and terrorist content. By reporting it to the cyber police, it will be followed up and investigated as to who is the admin of the social media account. He can be arrested so that his actions no longer disrupt the smooth running of the 2024 elections.
However, supervision on social media is not a strict system so that Indonesian people are prohibited from opening social media at all. They are still given the right to use social media, as long as they comply with the rules and values of decency.
Meanwhile, Member of Commission I DPR RI Taufiq R. Abdullah stated that there must be increased vigilance against the spread of radical ideas on social media. Current advocates of radicalism seem to understand that social media is the most effective medium for influencing the younger generation.
Taufiq added that the spread of radicalism was very massive on social media and its influence was extraordinary, especially for young people. Therefore, he supports monitoring social media. The aim is so that no young people are influenced by radical and terrorist content. They continue to follow the election stages in an orderly manner (those aged 17 years and over).
In that sense, monitoring social media is necessary so that there is peace on social media. Before the election, the situation could heat up and if there is supervision, the situation can be made more conducive. Radical groups cannot take advantage of the heated situation and pit the three supporting camps against each other and divide society.
So far, terrorist groups have utilized sophisticated technology for recruitment and cadre formation. From Telegram channels and Facebook groups, it is deliberately designed so that young people want to join.
Therefore, social media must be monitored so that it is sterile from attacks by terrorist and radical groups. They no longer use bombs. However, the weapon is radical content that is deliberately spread on social media so that it will influence people’s minds. Don’t let this bad thing happen and potentially derail the 2024 election.
To prevent the spread of radicalism in cyberspace, monitoring is needed on social media. The way to do this is by working with social media platform managers so that radical and terrorist content can be removed, and those who upload it are also investigated until they are arrested. The 2024 election must be successful, therefore social media must be monitored so that it is conducive and sterile from radicalism and terrorism.
)* The author is a Contributor to Angkasa Media Satu
