Digital Democracy or Digital Authoritarianism? A Critical Look at Communication and Governance Under Indonesia’s Jokowi Administration

Abstract

The increasing integration of digital platforms into state governance and political communication has generated new tensions between democratic openness and authoritarian control. This study critically examines how President Joko Widodo’s (Jokowi) administration has deployed digital technologies for political communication, public engagement, and governance, and assesses whether these practices strengthen democratic participation or contribute to emerging forms of digital authoritarianism in Indonesia. Employing a qualitative approach, the research analyzes official social media content, government digital initiatives, policy documents, and media reports to map the communication strategies and governance mechanisms implemented during the Jokowi era. The findings reveal a dual trajectory: on one hand, digital platforms have been utilized to enhance government transparency, public service delivery, and citizen participation through initiatives such as public feedback mechanisms and information dissemination; on the other hand, the administration has also relied on digital surveillance, narrative management, and regulatory measures that may restrict online dissent and concentrate informational power. The study identifies a growing institutional capacity to shape public opinion through algorithmic visibility, coordinated messaging, and the co-optation of digital influencers, which raises concerns about the narrowing of democratic space. The urgency of this research lies in the rapid digitalization of governance and the lack of comprehensive evaluation regarding its implications for democratic accountability. The novelty of this study is its contextualized critical assessment of digital governance under Jokowi, bridging political communication and governance scholarship in Indonesia. The research contributes to debates on digital democracy by proposing a nuanced framework that considers both democratic potential and authoritarian risks in state-led digitalization. It concludes that sustaining democratic digital governance requires stronger regulatory safeguards, independent oversight, and civic digital literacy to ensure that digital platforms serve public interest rather than political control.