Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Communication and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi has urged digital platforms and stakeholders to actively curb the spread of negative content and hoaxes related to the upcoming general elections.
"I particularly call on Meta, TikTok, Twitter (X), YouTube, and Google, along with public broadcasters TVRI, RRI, and ANTARA News Agency, to step up efforts in disseminating information that promotes peaceful 2024 general elections," he stated in a ministry press release issued on Wednesday.
He said that clarifications and counter-narratives need to be issued in response to negative content. Setiadi affirmed that several initiatives and collaborations have been carried out to support peaceful elections. However, negative content is still being detected frequently in the digital space.
"Data showed that the number of hoax items related to the elections increased in the period of July 1, 2023, to January 27, 2024, reaching 2,852 on various platforms," he stated.
Based on monitoring by the ministry's negative content crawling machine, AIS, 1,224 items of negative content were spread on Facebook, 953 on X, 411 on TikTok, 198 on Instagram, 36 on YouTube, and 30 on SnackVideo.
Setiadi urged all stakeholders to increase collaboration in handling negative content and hoaxes related to the elections. He highlighted the need to maintain the digital space so that election-related information can encourage people to support the peaceful, safe, and conducive implementation of elections.
"I also ask all social media platforms to be more serious, responsive, and faster in warding off and taking action against hoax content, hate speech, and other content violating the law related to the 2024 General Elections," he added.
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The general elections will take place on February 14, in which around 204.8 million voters are expected to participate. During the elections, Indonesians will select the new president and vice president, as well as members of the House of Representatives (DPR), Regional Representatives Council (DPD), and Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD) at all levels.
Minister urges digital platforms to combat election-related hoaxes
Minister of Communication and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi speaks during a coordination meeting on the socialization of government programs in Jakarta on January 23, 2024. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenparekraf/am)
Minister of Communication and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi speaks during a coordination meeting on the socialization of government programs in Jakarta on January 23, 2024. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenparekraf/am)