Netray Analysis: Social Media Will Become A Political Commodity In The 2024 Election, Beware Of Black Campaigns And Politic Of Identity

A number of pedicab drivers showed stickers during the socialization of stopping the black campaign in the Banjarsari Market area, Pekalongan, Central Java, Thursday (22/10/2018). (Antara/Pradita Utama)

JAKARTA - Internet users in Indonesia have continued to increase in the last five years. Netray report said, from 84 million in 2017 to more than 130 million in 2021. This figure is also expected to continue to move up with a projected increase of 10.2 percent per year to 174 million in 2024.

Apart from being entertainment, users also tend to use the internet to get information. Social media is the most popular platform.

Referring to these data, it is very possible that political campaigns in the 2024 General Election will shift to internet-based media, especially social media, streaming TV, and online mass media. It is also very possible, the potential for violations that will appear will be more massive.

Look at the 2014 and 2019 elections. The findings of violations are not only in television media or online or print media. The practices of spreading hoaxes, black campaigns, and campaigns on quiet weeks on social media had also occurred at that time.

“The shift in the campaign medium is becoming more evident with the development of digital media today. With the increasing number of internet users in Indonesia, the potential for violations is also estimated to increase," wrote Netray.

Political campaigns in the 2024 General Election will most likely shift to internet-based media, especially social media. (Netray screenshot)

Although reports and allegations of election violations in the digital realm are quite worrying, it seems that the Election Supervisory Body has not considered this problem as a serious problem. The proof is that the report on the results of the 2019 legislative and presidential elections did not mention this issue specifically.

The KPU, according to Netray, only included the total number of violations of the 2019 election without specifying the types of violations committed by election participants. "For example, there are 16,427 alleged administrative violations as long as they do not specify what is meant by the violation."

Or there are 426 alleged violations of the code of ethics which may include digital violations. Because the black campaign on social media is classified as a violation of the code of ethics. Included in this report are 2,798 alleged criminal offenses and 1,518 other legal violations.

Of the alleged reports, 16,134 reports of administrative violations have been handled by Bawaslu. Likewise with 373 violations of the code of ethics, 582 criminal violations, and 1,475 other legal violations. There were 2,578 reports that were deemed not violations by Bawaslu in the 2019 Election.

Extra Supervision

On that basis, in the 2024 election series, Bawaslu must carry out extra supervision. The Coordinator of the Legal Division of the Bawaslu of West Java Province, Yusuf Kurnia, is aware that the potential for violations in the 2024 General Election will increase.

He suspects the same practices as before, such as identity politics are likely to reappear. Moreover, if there are only two pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Likewise the practice of black campaigning by buzzers with anonymous accounts.

"For this reason, we are also working collaboratively with the police cyber team to resolve the black campaign on social media," Yusuf said in a socialization regarding the rules for the 2024 General Election in Sukabumi on November 2, 2022.

The 2019 presidential election violation report from Bawaslu. (Netray screenshot)

Bawaslu, according to Netray, also anticipates by issuing social media management guidelines so that supervision at every level works optimally. Bawaslu will utilize information technology and social media to increase community involvement so that it is more broad, systemic, structured and integrative.

Participation, monitoring, and building relationships with the public are the keywords of the guide. Bawaslu encourages every level of the institution to open up as much participation as possible for the public to oversee the running of the election process.

"The supervision participation that the public can follow is of course by utilizing social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp," Netray wrote.

Bawaslu will cooperate with a number of community communities by using social media as a liaison. Even further, Bawaslu will use memes as a means of publication for the institution.

Smart Thinking

Based on the schedule for the 2024 Election stages from the General Elections Commission (KPU), the nomination process for the DPD, DPR, Provincial DPRD, Regency/Municipal DPRD, until the nominations for president and vice president will begin on December 6, 2022. Then proceed to the election campaign phase starting November 28 2023-10 February 2024.

That means, the public must be prepared to enter the political year. Be prepared to receive a variety of information and political maneuvers that will certainly overcrowd the public sphere.

Renville Almatsier in his writing entitled 'To the Young People' at Kompas, invites young people who according to statistics will be the biggest determinants of the upcoming elections to think intelligently in interpreting any information that appears, especially related to the candidates who will contest the 2024 General Election.

The motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika must be realized as a national identity that respects differences.

“Those with different political aspirations should not be considered enemies. Keep the group fanaticism that creates the assumption that other people with different understandings are wrong,” said the academic from the University of Indonesia.

Illustration of the 2024 General Election - Don't be influenced by identities that only lead to polarization. (VOI)

Another important point is don't get carried away with behavior that only fusses about names, but lacks criteria. See also the ideas he brought, his track record, and his efforts to unite and build the nation.

“You actually need to look at his background, not where he comes from and what religion he is, but what he has done for this country. Examine what the vision is, is it for the welfare of the community?” said Renville.

Don't want to be influenced by an identity that only leads to polarization, giving birth to heartache so that it drags on and disrupts unity.

“Young people, your voice will help maintain the unity and integrity of the Indonesian nation. Don't get torn apart. Guard the Homeland to keep it safe. Open your eyes so that you can make the right choice, to choose whom we will entrust the fate of the people and this country to,” Renville emphasized.