Social Media Fight Over Ahmad Dhani-Maia Estiany, Netizens Must Be Smart and Check Facts

JAKARTA - The phenomenon of the public quickly siding in public figure conflicts based only on video clips on social media is increasingly worrying. Warganet now seems to be a 'judge' in the digital space without cross-checking the truth of the information circulating.

This condition has been highlighted by Communication Observer, Agustina Widyawati, S.Sos., M.I.Kom. He called this phenomenon an impact of the "instant judgment" culture that is rapidly developing through digital platforms. The public is considered more inclined to form opinions based on emotional narratives that are viral rather than understanding the legal process objectively.

"In fact, we often only see a small part of a problem. Especially if the case involves public figures, public emotions are usually much stronger than the desire to find the facts in full," said Widya, Monday, May 11.

This issue resurfaced after the old controversy between Ahmad Dhani and Maia Estianty heated up again on social media. The spotlight was on the alleged Domestic Violence (KDRT) which Maia had reported a dozen years ago.

The debate of netizens is getting wilder after the termination of the investigation document or SP3 from the police regarding the report was circulated again.

In the legal document, investigators stopped the case because they considered there was not enough evidence. Widya explained, the viralness of this document shows a wide gap between public perception and the legal facts that exist in the field.

"In the science of communication, this condition can be explained through the Agenda Setting theory. The media does not always determine what we should think, but the media is very powerful in determining what issues are considered important by the public," explained the Lecturer of Communication Science at Sunan Gresik University.

Widya added that the constant spotlight on the Dhani-Maia conflict made the public stuck on certain sides that were most often featured by the media. This triggered confirmation bias, where netizens only want to receive information that is in line with their initial beliefs.

The culture of social media, according to him, accelerates the spread of collective perceptions through podcast pieces or viral comments. This is what is known as trial by social media, namely social judgment that occurs before the final legal decision.

"Maia at that time received sympathy because the public saw the narrative about the struggle and the impression of the pain he experienced. Meanwhile, Ahmad Dhani has received many negative stigmas because the image that appears in the public tends to be harsh and controversial," he said.

The role of infotainment media is also highlighted because of its contribution in shaping public perceptions of celebrity conflicts. Widya reminded that what is seen on the screen or on the social media homepage is not necessarily the whole truth.

"People feel like they already know the whole story just from a piece of content. In fact, domestic conflicts are usually complex, not as simple as who is right and who is wrong," he said.

Widya assessed that the legal literacy of the Indonesian people still needs to be strengthened so that they are not easily provoked by narratives that are packaged emotionally. He hopes that netizens will be smarter in filtering information related to the personal lives of public figures.

"Social media often simplifies issues so that they are easier to consume and provoke reactions. In the current digital era, something that is widely discussed is not necessarily completely true. This is what the public needs to understand," he concluded.