Fake News, Moral Panic, and Political Mobilization: A Case Study of Indonesia’s Election Cycles

Abstract

This study examines the interplay between fake news, moral panic, and political mobilization during Indonesia’s election cycles, focusing on how misinformation campaigns trigger emotional public responses and influence democratic participation. As Indonesia’s electoral landscape becomes increasingly mediated through digital platforms, fake news has become a recurrent feature of political contestation, often provoking moral panic that amplifies social anxieties around religion, ethnicity, and national identity. This research analyzes how misinformation is framed and disseminated, how it generates collective fear and moral outrage, and how these affect voter behavior, public discourse, and political mobilization. Using a qualitative case study approach, the study analyzes circulating fake news narratives, social media interactions, news media coverage, and public reactions across several election periods. The findings reveal that fake news often employs symbolic and identity-based frames that resonate with existing social fears, leading to moral panic that legitimizes heightened political activism and polarization. In many cases, moral panic functions as a catalyst for mobilization, as citizens and political actors engage in rapid collective action to defend perceived moral and national values. However, the study also finds that moral panic can distort democratic deliberation, marginalize minority groups, and undermine trust in electoral institutions. The novelty of this research lies in its integrated conceptualization of fake news and moral panic as intertwined mechanisms of political mobilization in Indonesia, rather than treating them as separate phenomena. The study contributes to political communication and democratization scholarship by demonstrating how misinformation-driven moral panic shapes electoral politics and civic engagement. It concludes that addressing fake news requires not only fact-checking but also strengthening media literacy, promoting inclusive political narratives, and enhancing institutional transparency to prevent manipulation and protect democratic stability.