Ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections which will be held in November, the role of the community in maintaining the smoothness and peace of this democratic process is very vital. As the front guard, the public is expected to be able to act intelligently and wisely in responding to various issues circulating, especially those spread on social media. Education and mutual cooperation are the main keys in dispelling hoax information that often appears during the Pilkada stages. In this way, the community not only plays a role as voters, but also as guardians of social harmony and stability, ensuring that the regional elections run safely and peacefully.
Chairman of the Green Community Group in West Java, Didu Sardu, emphasized the importance of mutual cooperation in reminding each other if it is felt that there is information that is strange or leads to something that could cause division in society. It is important for every individual to exercise wisdom in interpreting any information they receive, so that they are not easily consumed by unclear information that can cause debate.
It should be noted that regional elections are one of the important pillars of democracy in Indonesia. Regional elections provide the community with the opportunity to elect regional leaders who will determine the direction of regional development. In order for the regional elections to run peacefully and democratically, active community participation is needed. One of society’s important contributions is to avoid and fight the spread of hoaxes.
Hoaxes, or fake news, are information that is deliberately created to mislead other people. In the context of regional elections, hoaxes are very dangerous because they can trigger social tension. Fake news is often provocative and can increase hostility between a candidate’s supporters. This tension can create an atmosphere that is not conducive and can even lead to physical conflict. The public must be wary of potentially divisive news and always verify its authenticity before spreading it.
Apart from that, hoaxes can also damage the reputation of regional head candidates. Fake news that spreads widely on social media can damage a candidate’s image and reputation, which may be difficult to recover even if the news is proven to be untrue. This reputational damage can disrupt a healthy democratic process, where candidates should be assessed based on their vision, mission and work programs, not based on false and misleading information.
In a democratic party, the public needs clear and accurate information about the candidates they will elect. The spread of hoaxes makes it difficult for people to differentiate between true and false information. This can disrupt the rational and wise decision-making process by voters. Therefore, hoaxes must be fought together, one of which is by verifying every information received, especially from unclear sources, so that these hoaxes will disappear by themselves.
The Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo), Budi Arie Setiadi, firmly stated his commitment to safeguarding the digital space in supporting the implementation of the 2024 simultaneous regional elections. In a working meeting with Commission I of the DPR, Budi Arie emphasized the importance of the narrative of the 2024 peaceful regional elections and the active role of the younger generation in upholding healthy and responsible democracy. Minister of Communication and Information, Budi Arie, invited the public, especially the younger generation, to not only participate as voters, but also as agents of change who build awareness of strategic issues that affect the country’s future.
In dealing with the issue of political polarization and the spread of false information (hoaxes), the Ministry of Communication and Information is intensively carrying out various preventive efforts. Identification and clarification of hundreds of hoax issues related to the Election have been carried out, as well as taking action to deal with hoax content. Public communication measures are also being carried out by the Ministry of Communication and Information, which include amplifying the 2024 Peaceful Pilkada narrative via social media, synergy with partners for socialization, as well as collaboration with mass media in presenting positive information about the Pilkada.
The increasing potential for the spread of hoaxes ahead of and during the 2024 regional elections is the government’s main focus to ensure the integrity of the democratic process. Budi Arie also emphasized the importance of collaborating with the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and the General Election Commission (KPU) in monitoring the digital space. Handling hoax issues, analyzing online conversations, and verifying social media accounts are part of a joint strategy to maintain the integrity of the Pilkada.
Executive Director of Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO), Dedi Kurnia Syah, highlighted the increase in the production of hoaxes on social media ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections. Even though hoaxes are often discussed, no one has yet revealed the source and perpetrators behind the fake news. Dedi emphasized the importance of socializing the anti-hoax movement and appreciating the government’s steps through the Ministry of Communication and Information and the National Police in preventing the circulation of hoaxes during the 2024 simultaneous regional elections.
Therefore, to support peaceful regional elections, the public needs to educate themselves about how to recognize hoaxes. One way is by utilizing various trusted sources to check facts, such as fact-checking sites, and following guidelines from official institutions. Apart from that, a critical attitude and not easily believing sensational news is also very necessary. In this way, the public can contribute to creating a peaceful, conducive and democratic regional election atmosphere.
Co-Initiator of Wise Choices, Abigail Limuria, appealed to the public to be smarter and wiser in responding to the information they receive. That way, hoaxes will no longer be considered effective, especially for irresponsible spreaders.
The role of the community in avoiding hoaxes is very important to maintain peace and smooth regional elections. By not spreading fake news and always seeking truthful information, society plays a role in building a healthy and mature democracy. Peaceful regional elections are a reflection of people’s awareness and maturity in democracy, which in turn will produce qualified and trustworthy regional leaders.
