The Commitment of Stakeholders in Resolving Hoax Phenomenon at

Medan, Sumatera Utara

Munzaimah Masril

Communication Science Study Program, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan,

Indonesia

Keywords: Social Media, Hoax, Stakeholders, Commitment.

Abstract: The rise of the news Hoax has led to social turmoil that led to the potential for conflict. Some many individuals

and groups are victims of Hoax information on social media. Preaching about Hoax is ultimately considered

to be news that is considered true; precisely what is fake news. Social media, which was created to update

personal status or findold friends who are separated, has turned into a means for someone to express political

opinions, comment on the opinions of others. Social media has changed its function to become a place for

people to find undirected conversations and fake news. In addressing the problem of Hoax, it is needed the

commitment of stakeholders such as government, non-government organization (NGOs) community,

academics, social media activists, and also the societies.

1 INTRODUCTION

Social media provides a space for users to voice their

thoughts and opinions in the thought process. The

devices on social media act as a stage for users of state

buildings to share their outfits as they have not been

heard.

Mass media is often the mouthpiece used by

citizens as a medium to convey their aspirations. It's

just that the opportunity to be published in the mass

media also cannot happen easily.There are editorial

work mechanisms and policies that are provisions,

while if expressing aspirations through political party

mechanisms, there is a structure that must be passed

from the lowest level to the top and takes sometimes

complicated procedures.

Therefore, an aspiration is sometimes only

stopped at chatter or issues that are only circulating in

a coffee shop or other gathering place.Social media is

present to bring new values in the middle of its user's

social, religious and economic issues. Then what is

noted is that since social media has emerged and

various types of content can be uploaded, what

citizens do and their collaboration with mass media

institutions is transformed into something new. This

makes the information that develops in the

community must be confirmed because the source of

information is very diverse (Juditha, 2018).

Moreover, the trend of news interest that is read

by users of social media is only adjusted to the tastes

of each individual, which makes the truth of the

information consumed by the public increasingly

misleading. This phenomenon is evidenced by the

widespread circulation of false news (hoaxes) in the

community that is spread through social media. Based

on data released by the Ministry of Communication

and Information (Kemkominfo), throughout 2018

there were at least 800,000 (eight hundred thousand)

hoax spreading internet sites with various motives

and goals (Yuliani, 2019).

Furthermore, the Ministry of Communication and

Information said that from August 2018 to April

2019, 1731 fake news reports were successfully

identified, verified, and validated by the AIS Team of

the Ministry of Communication and Information. The

political category hoax is said to dominate the total

number of false news stories during this period with

620 fake news items, in other words, the most

widespread hoax distribution circulated in April 2019

before the implementation of the Democratic Party

(Maharani, 2019).

The increased of hoaxes, especially in big cities in

Indonesia, is inseparable from the increasing number

of internet users in Indonesia. North Sumatra

Province, which is the province with the most

population number 4 (four), the region with the

number of internet users reaching 994,000 people in

312

Masril, M.

The Commitment of Stakeholders in Resolving Hoax Phenomenon at Medan, Sumatera Utara.

DOI: 10.5220/0010018803120316

In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Social and Political Development (ICOSOP 3 2019) - Social Engineering Governance for the People, Technology and Infrastructure in

Revolution Industry 4.0, pages 312-316

ISBN: 978-989-758-472-5

the city of Medan. This fact makes the spread of false

news (hoaxes) one of the main problems in Medan.

According to data from the Sub Directorate (Subdit)

II/Cyber Crime the Special Criminal Directorate

(Ditreskrimsus) of the North Sumatra Regional Police

has handled 8 (eight) cases of hate speech and hoaxes

between July 2017 and February 2018. This data will

certainly continue to grow until the middle of 2019,

so research on how the phenomenon of hoaxes that

occur in the city of Medan and how to anticipate

hoaxes in a social media framework needs to be

done.

2 RESEARCH METHOD

This study uses a qualitative method with a

constructivist paradigm based on case studies. The

method of collecting data for this research is used

interviews and FGDs, while also using data from

international journals, national journals, books, and

media news releases.

The collection of research data is then carried out

through a review process of documents or reports

related to research conducted based on phenomena on

social media, government policies, and stakeholders'

formulas in overcoming deception, specifically in

Medan.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Digitalization Process and the

Implications

The development of the internet has had an impact on

changes in the political, economic, social and cultural

fields. One of the developments in science and

technology that is progressing very rapidly is the

development in the field of information technology.

It is marked by the birth of the internet, which is

scientifically referred to as cyberspace (Juliswara,

2017).

Concerning the digitalization process, the

dimension of state sovereignty then expanded, which

no longer consisted of land, sea and air space, but also

virtual space. The virtual space that is portrayed from

the internet has created a new legal regime known as

the law of the internet, cyberspace law, or telematics

law. Thanks to the internet, information exchange

takes place faster and faster. The internet and its

supporting technological devices seem to want and

have made the world almost united (Kellner, 2011).

Beware of the increasingly stretching of internet

technology and the number of users, the Government

of Indonesia through the Ministry of Communication

and Information has prepared a number of regulations

to regulate various types and models of information,

one of which is the Law of the Republic of Indonesia

Number 11 Year 2008 concerning Information and

Electronic Transactions (ITE Law).

The ITE Law, in addition to being a sign of

changing orientation, models and information

systems in Indonesia, also marks the return of state

restrictions on information, including information

received via the internet (Atmaja, 2014).

Zain Noval, the Head of the Office Agency of

Communication and Information Medan, said:

"Social media is one of the online media where its

users can carry out various activities including

communicating with each other, looking for

information, and adding new friends, with all the

features it has. Communication in social media

becomes very easy because communicating using

social media is no longer limited by distance, time,

and space. Communication can occur anywhere,

anytime, and even without face to face” (Interview,

2019).

That is, the use of massive communication

technology can be found in various places and

situations, and we can easily meet people who are

interacting with other parties who are connected

through its gadgets. In the domestic sphere, from the

living room to the bedroom, communication

technology is scattered side by side with human life.

The increasingly prominent role of communication

technology in our midst, it can be seen clearly that

lifestyle changes that occur apply in almost all circles,

children, adolescents and adults (Nilan and Fexia,

2006).

The presence of the internet as a form of

technological development in the field of

communication is a matter that is familiar to modern

society in Indonesia. Previously, internet technology

was only used to send electronic messages via email

and chat, but it was also often used to search for

information through browsing and googling. But

along with the times, the internet can give birth to a

new network commonly known as social media

(Nugraheni & Yuni, 2017).

Furthermore, until now law enforcement in

Indonesia is experiencing difficulties in dealing with

the phenomenon of electronic crime (cybercrime).

This is because there are still very few law

enforcement officers who understand the ins and outs

of information technology (internet).

In addition, law enforcement officials in the

regions are not ready to anticipate the rise of this

The Commitment of Stakeholders in Resolving Hoax Phenomenon at Medan, Sumatera Utara

313

crime because there are still many law enforcement

officials who have not been literate about technology.

Then there are still many law enforcement institutions

in the regions that are not yet supported by the

Internet network.

During 2018 alone there were 292 cases related to

the ITE Law, this number has doubled compared to

the previous year with a total of 140 cases.

Defamation becomes the most favorite criminal case

with 149 cases, followed by hate speech cases with

81 cases, while violation cases are in third place with

71 cases. As many as 35.92 percents of people who

reported cases of the ITE Law were state officials,

including regional heads, agency/ department heads,

ministers, and security forces. While lay reporters or

the public recorded 32.24 percent (Yuliani, 2019).

3.2 The Hoax Phenomenon on Social

Media

Hoax in the Oxford dictionary (2017) is interpreted as

a form of fraud whose purpose is to make humor or

bring danger. The phenomenon of the Hoax case

occurred due to several things, mainly related to the

interests and lack of filtering news information on

social media from the authorities. This makes it easier

for hoax makers and spreaders to do their jobs.

Substantially, the presence of Law No. 19 of 2016

concerning Amendment to Law No. 11 of 2008

concerning Information and Electronic Transactions

is inevitable from social media user protest

movements throughout Indonesia. Especially in the

article on defamation, many of which caused strong

reactions from the public where freedom of

expression on social media was felt to be restricted

(Mahmoud & Auter, 2009).

Based on the latest data from the Ministry of

Information and Technology (2019) which revealed

that of 1,146 respondents, 44.3% of them received

hoax news every day and 17.2% received more than

once a day. Even the mainstream media that are relied

upon as trustworthy media are sometimes

contaminated with hoaxes. Mainstream media is also

a channel for hoax information/news dissemination,

each at 1.20% (radio), 5% (print media) and 8.70%

(television).

While the Head of the office agency of

Communication and Information Medan, Zain Noval

stated that:

"Hoax is not only happening by the mainstream

media, but a hoax is also now very much circulating

in the community through online media. Then, the

channels that are widely used in hoax dissemination

are websites, chat applications (WhatsApp, Line,

Telegram) and through social media (Facebook,

Twitter, Instagram, and Path” (Interview, 2019).

Furthermore, it must be acknowledged that

provocative news on social media attracts the public's

attention. Social media is used by the community to

be a place to convey public opinion that is

humanitarian or human interest on issues that develop

in the community. With the internet, people can opine

through social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Path,

Line, WeChat, Website, Blog, E-mail, and others

(Renata and Rachmaniar, 2016).

Moreover, in Medan from May 2018 to May 2019

there were at least 13 cases of hoaxes handled by the

North Sumatra Regional Police. The biggest hoax

case in Medan is related to politics, mainly in the

lead-up to the general election and riots after the

presidential election. Furthermore, the phenomenon

of hoaxes currently carried out through online media

is not only carried out by news sites that are well

known to the public but by anyone an internet user

can play a role in spreading information.

Head of the office agency of Communication and

Information MedanHead of Medan, Zain Noval said

that:

"Much more information or news that is distributed

individually or in groups cannot be accounted for

truth or hoax indication. Hoax is information or

news that contains things that are uncertain or that

are not facts that occur” (Interview, 2019).

3.3 The Commitment of Stakeholders

The spread of hoaxes on social media has caused

problems for all parties, whether it is spreading

hoaxes or receiving information because it has the

potential to damage community records (Siswoko,

2017).

Various efforts have been made by the Medan city

government to minimize its distribution. However,

several cases related to a hoax that have slander and

hatred towards the Tribes, Religion, and Race in

recent years continue to occur. One social media

activist in Medan, Anwar Saragih said that:

"The strategic steps and government policies so far

have not been maximized, although it has tried to

minimize the spread of hoaxes by issuing several

regulations and supporting infrastructure. On the

other hand, the government is also not optimal in

coordinating across agencies and providing media

literacy to the community of social media users so

that they are ethical when interacting in cyberspace.

However, it has not been able to suppress the

number of hoaxes” (Interview, 2019).

This means that stakeholders, namely the central

government, regional governments, NGOs, social

media volunteers, social media activists, academics

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and the community must be active to minimize the

spread of false news (Thurlow et al, 2004). The

central government through the Republic of

Indonesia Ministry of Communication and

Information should be more active in building

communication with stakeholders, both central and

regional so that there are a common perspective and

resolution in responding to false news (hoaxes)

circulating in the community.

Furthermore, in coordinating efforts between

these stakeholders, they must be managed under one

roof in developing a single narrative about what will

be conveyed to the public that the need to strengthen

literacy in wise efforts on social media.

Proactive and productive steps in maximizing the

role of the stakeholders must also be supported by

one-stop cooperation. The practice of disseminating

to the public authentic narrative through supporting

data needed to be known to the public correctly.

Besides, these stakeholders must build literacy

narratives delivered both government policies and

programs across sectors and regions to the public

must be conveyed through communication channels

to the public in an appropriate, fast, objective, good

quality, national-minded, and easy to understand.

This is caused by hoax problems that have

appeared not only involving photo memes or

narrative uploads but also using news language. Zain

Noval as Head of the office agency of

Communication and Information Medan Head of

Medan in his interview also conveyed how to deal

with hoaxes. He mentioned in his interview that:

"Sometimes hoax news comes from

provocative titles, photos that look evocative and

convincing. The contents can also be taken from the

official media news, it's just changed to cause the

perception as desired by the hoax maker. Social

media users must be diligent in checking the facts

for information obtained from the website or

including a link, check the URL address of the site

in question. Then Watch where the news originates

from and where it originates. It is important to

confirm information” (Interview, 2019).

Presence The role of stakeholders in solving the

hoax problem is expected to start from upstream to

downstream. Upstream issues are the responsibility of

the government in coordination with the Indonesian

police and cyber teams, while downstream is the role

of social media activists to spread literacy in efforts

to overcome hoaxes in the community (Howard&

Hussain, 2013).

Not only that, to optimize the dissemination of

information to ward off false news (hoaxes), the

stakeholders must establish a communication

network through the WhatsApp application.

This communication network contains

government public relations personnel at the central

and regional levels. Through this information group,

the stakeholders are expected to be able to filter the

information before being shared (sharing) properly.

Group members also provide information related to

activities carried out in their respective institutions to

be known by group members in the hope of being

disseminated to the WhatsApp group at their

respective agencies quickly and accurately.

4 CONCLUSION

Collaboration between stakeholders in efforts to

overcome hoaxes is an obligation for parties to

overcome destructive information. Stakeholders here

include the central government, local governments,

NGOs, social media volunteers, social media

activists, academics, and the public who are expected

to be active to minimize the spread of hoaxes and

overcome hoaxes.

The stakeholders must also have the same

enthusiasm in protecting the public from false

information. Furthermore, the government must lead

the coordination of these stakeholders in accelerating

the pace of coordination with platform providers,

such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Path, and other

various platforms to prevent the spread of false news

(hoaxes).

Another step that can be done is giving good

literacy to the public about the importance of ethics

and sensitivity when interacting in cyberspace.

Another thing that is no less important is to clarify as

soon as possible when there is false news by building

counter-narratives to be distributed to the public in a

constructive nature. These steps, if done by all parties

appropriately, are expected to reduce the rate of

spread of false news in the community.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to the Research Institute of University of

Sumatera Utara for the valuable support.

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