Political Misinformation during Indonesian Elections: Social Media Networks, Voter Trust, and Democratic Resilience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65815/xt31qn55Keywords:
Political misinformation, elections, social media, voter trust, IndonesiaAbstract
Political misinformation has become a significant challenge for electoral democracies because false or misleading information can influence voter perceptions and weaken trust in democratic institutions. Indonesia's highly active social media environment provides fertile conditions for the rapid circulation of political claims during election periods. This article examines political misinformation in Indonesian elections and its implications for democratic resilience. Using qualitative digital discourse analysis, the study investigates the circulation of misleading narratives, user engagement, corrective information, and institutional responses. The article argues that misinformation is not simply a technological problem but a social phenomenon shaped by political identity, interpersonal trust, and existing ideological networks. Corrective information may be less effective when audiences interpret factual claims through strong partisan identities. The study proposes a multidimensional response combining platform accountability, media literacy, rapid fact-checking, transparent electoral communication, and community-based information verification. The article concludes that democratic resilience depends not only on removing false information but also on strengthening citizens' capacity to evaluate political claims independently.
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