Ahead Of The 2024 Pilkada, All Regions In West Java Encourage Socialization To Prevent Hoaxes

IKP Fest 2024 encourages socialization to prevent hoaxes ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada.

JAKARTA - Ahead of the 2024 regional elections simultaneously in November 2024, the potential for spreading hoaxes or false information will be wide open.

Therefore, long ago, the West Java Province Communications and Information Office (Diskominfo) encouraged related agencies in districts and cities to anticipate it.

This was conveyed by West Java's Saber Hoax (JSH) Diskominfo West Java in the IKP Fest 2024 series.

IKP Fest is a routine program carried out by the West Java Public Communication Information Division (IKP).

IKP Fest 2024 is the third event to equalize the perception in the field of IKP for all districts/cities in the management of public information and communication.

Head of the West Java Provincial Communication and Information Office, Ika Mardiah, encouraged regional hoax (clean sweep) units in 27 districts/cities to detect the potential for hoaxes early in the day, not only during the Pilkada.

"Early detection of the potential for hoaxes should be carried out immediately to prevent it from spreading widely," said Ika Mardiah.

The chairman of JSH West Java, Alfianto Yustinova, also asked the regional hoax saber to continue to socialize steps to prevent hoaxes from the community.

"Socialization of hoax prevention steps must also continue to be carried out so that people are more aware and not easily consumed by hoaxes," said Alfian.

On the same occasion, the Head of the Postgraduate Science Study Program at Padjadjaran University (Unpad), Mudiyati Rahmatunnisa, who was present as the mainnote speaker in the talk 'Strengthening the Regional Hoax Saber Unit Ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada', said that the potential for hoaxes for each election or Pilkada was always large.

Especially in Indonesia, including West Java, it has the most social media users.

"As of January 2024, 185.8 million internet users in Indonesia, including quite a large number of social media users. This indicator is a great opportunity for the spread of hoaxes," said Mudiyati.

The public should continue to be reminded of the main characteristics of news or hoax information so that they can prevent early and that false information is not spread.

"Some of the main characteristics of hoaxes are bombastic news titles, always asking for distribution, content, and unsuitable titles. Then, always include the names of celebrities or trusted institutions," he explained.

Mudiyati also explained about the dangers of hoaxes on the Pilkada, including being able to delegitimize the results of the Pilkada and disrupt the Pilkada information.

"Moreover, in the 2024 Pilkada hoax news, it will be more dangerous because it uses edited video media which is easily trusted by the public," said Mudiyati.