The Fake News Threat Is Real, Mahfud MD: 83 Percent Of The Indonesian Public Feel Anxious

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD (Photo: ANTARA DOK)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said almost half of the people were worried about fake news happening in the country. In fact, he said Indonesia was in the second tier or lost to Spain regarding this concern.

This was conveyed by Mahfud during a speech on the agenda of the National Press Day on Tuesday, February 8. Mahfud said the data he submitted was based on a survey by the Edelman Trust which was launched in January 2022.

"Public anxiety about hoaxes in our country reaches 83 percent. This number seems to give recognition to our concerns so far. Based on this Edelman Trus survey, the Indonesian public has high anxiety about fake news or hoaxes. Indonesia also ranks second in this regard. and only lost to Spain from the level of anxiety about this hoax and fake news," said Mahfud, quoted from the Official Press Council YouTube, Tuesday, February 8.

This condition, continued Mahfud, is a frightening and worrying picture of the spread of fake news in the country. So, he said this was the government's attention.

However, Mahfud said that to eradicate the spread of fake news, all must move. Apart from the public, the press is also asked to do the same.

"This number seems to give recognition to our concerns over the phenomenon of the spread of hoaxes in Indonesia in recent years," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

"Hoaks have been our concern, both from the government, the community, and the media, to deal with them together," added Mahfud.

Furthermore, Mahfud said that hoax news was widely spread across a number of platforms. Including social media which is actually expected to be a forum for positive citizen interaction.

"In reality (social media, ed) is a big space that often ignores public ethics. In fact, it is not uncommon for it to become a place for widely spreading hoax news, fake news, and various disinformation content," he said.

He said this indicates that social media is not only opening a wider space in efforts to build equality, public participation, and a climate of democracy. "But at the same time it creates new problems by spreading conversations that ignore ethics," said Mahfud.

"This is what happens a lot and information tends to mislead the public, this also happens a lot," he concluded.