"We will not tolerate hoaxes that cause unrest. There were many (such cases) in 2019 (previous elections), and we took firm action," director general of application and information at the ministry, Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, said here on Friday.
For handling hoaxes throughout the general election stages, the ministry will collaborate with the National Police (Polri) if content that could potentially cause polarization or even conflict in the community is found.
If a hoax intended to divide society is found, the government may take legal action against those who created and spread it under Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning amendments to Law Number 11 of 2008 on Information and Electronic Transactions, he emphasized.
The regulation, which regulates actions against cases of spreading fake news, states that perpetrators can face a prison sentence of up to 6 years and/or a fine of up to Rp1 billion (around US$62,935).
The ministry has devised three strategies to handle election hoaxes and make Indonesia's digital space safe and comfortable for all.
The first strategy is intensifying digital literacy to improve the community's awareness of the dangers of hoaxes. The ministry has also collaborated with digital platforms to fight the spread of hoaxes.
People can check whether a piece of information is a hoax or not by going on the website komin.fo/inihoaks.
The second strategy is carrying out routine cyber patrols to curb the spread of negative content.
Meanwhile, under the third strategy, the ministry is providing a platform for people to file complaints against hoaxes related to the 2024 General Elections so that the community can play an active role in ensuring that the digital space remains productive.
Those seeking to file a complaint against negative content in the digital space, including hoaxes, can use the aduankonten.id website to do so.
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Translator: Livia Kristianti, Raka Adji
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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