Rumah Pemilu Indonesia Election Portal
Preventing disinformation through prebunking or vaccinating disinformation to the public is considered by the Indonesian Anti-Defamation Society (Mafindo) as a crucial step that needs to be taken early on. Just like how vaccines work in the medical world, prebunking is believed to be able to build community resilience against political disinformation. By strengthening capacity related to digital literacy and elections, the public is expected to be able to think critically about the information they obtain.
“We must prioritize prevention or prebunking. “Just like when we face Covid-19, the most effective thing is vaccination,” emphasized the Chairman of the Presidium of the Indonesian Anti-Defamation Society (Mafindo), Septiaji Eko Nugroho, in the discussion “Overcoming Hoaxes in the 2024 Regional Elections” broadcast by TVRI, on Monday (10/6 ).
The prebunking activity initiated by Mafindo is supported by the Tular Nalar program. Through this program, election and regional election prebunking training is provided to novice and elderly voters. There are dozens of Tular Nalar partners in various cities who work to encourage the public to be actively involved in the election and regional election process, including combing through and reporting hoax content found.
“Seniors are very active in the digital space. They often use WhatsApp groups, watch content from YouTube, Instagram, even TikTok. Many of these elderly people are also figures, having been academics. “So, we embrace them, we enrich their insight, so that they don’t become victims of hoaxes, and also so that they can become assets for raising awareness,” said Septiaji.
According to Septiaji, the involvement of community leaders in preventing hoaxes in the regional elections is very necessary. Indonesian society which is based on figures will listen more to counseling from respected public figures, rather than from people they don’t know.
“The experience in the 2018 regional elections, when we supervised the West Kalimantan gubernatorial election, was most effective when we were able to engage community leaders, across religions, across traditions, to jointly carry out prevention efforts. “When their characters talk, they will listen more,” he concluded.
Apart from that, Mafindo has also collaborated with Bawaslu and the General Election Commission (KPU) to create prebunking content. Crucial issues in the Pilkada will be identified, then prebunking video material will be prepared. It is hoped that the KPU, Bawaslu and Mafindo networks in all regions will be able to disseminate the prebunking content.
In the same discussion, member of Bawaslu RI, Herwyn JH Malonda, said that his party would intensify the regional election literacy program “Bawaslu Mendidik”. Apart from public figures, content creators and group admins on social media will also be participants in the activity.
“For example, there are social media groups, we invite the group admins so that they can share the information that is reported, which is valid and can enlighten them regarding the regional elections,” said Herwyn. []
