Mafindo: Public Awareness Improves but Many Are Still Trapped in Hoaxes

SEMARANG - Head of the Indonesian Anti-Fitnah Society Office (Mafindo), Farid Zamroni M, said that the awareness and concern of Indonesian citizens regarding hoax and disinformation issues in the digital space is getting better.

"Many have begun to realize the importance of verifying information before sharing or trusting online content. But there are still many who are trapped in hoaxes due to lack of digital literacy or deliberately spreading false information," said Farid Zamroni in Semarang, Antara, Sunday, March 8.

For this reason, he suggested some wise steps to respond to hoaxes on social media.

First, verify the source of information by checking the credibility of the site or account that spreads the news.

Second, don't rush to form an opinion before reading various sources.

Third, make use of fact-checking sites such as TurnBackHoax and CekFakta. Farid also reminded the public not to immediately spread unverified information, as well as report hoax content to social media platforms or authorities.

"The public also needs to increase digital literacy and be critical in responding to AI-based hoaxes, because for the general public it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between facts and manipulations," said Farid.

According to him, social media users can start by recognizing the signs of hoaxes, such as suspicious image or video quality, unclear sources, and the absence of confirmation from credible media.

"Don't rush to believe. Take the time to verify information before sharing. You can even use AI-based content detection technology or tools that are now starting to be available," he said.

In Central Java, a wave of disinformation actively targeted Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi towards the end of 2025 to early 2026.

Various hoax content is widely circulated on social media such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

The content contains various serious allegations, ranging from claims that the governor was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to narratives that the government would forcibly collect vehicle taxes directly to residents' homes.

In fact, Fadia's arrest is not related to the governor. The KPK has officially released that when the Operation Capture Hand (OTT) Fadia was not with the Governor. Ahmad Luthfi has also denied Fadia's statement.

The second issue concerns the narrative that tax debtors of vehicles will be visited and forcibly collected at home. This information is also confirmed to be untrue.

The program in question is actually a socialization and education activity to increase public compliance in paying vehicle taxes.

The public is urged not to easily believe information on social media without verifying it from official sources.