Quinton Temby

Opinion | Indonesia’s election riots offer a lesson on the perils of fake news

The violence in May over President Joko Widodo’s victory was the first time among the world’s democracies that online disinformation led to a poll-related riot

Anti-Chinese conspiracy theories also spiralled out of control, with some Indonesians believing People’s Liberation Army troops were on the streets of Jakarta

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Firecrackers explode near protesters during clashes with police in Jakarta in May. Photo: AP

Quinton Temby

Published: 9:00am, 9 Sep 2019Updated: 10:58am, 9 Sep 2019

Indonesia ’s riots in May serve as a warning to all democracies with polarised electorates, high social media penetration and institutions labouring under the strain of populist politics.

The unrest was the first time in a democracy that social media-fuelled fake news and disinformation led to election riots.

Supporters of opposition candidate Prabowo Subianto rejected the results of the presidential election, alleging incumbent Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, had stolen victory through fraud. Eight people were killed in subsequent clashes with police, and a ninth died later in hospital. Hundreds more were injured.

Many involved in the Jakarta street violence were motivated by misleading or false information. Militant oppositionists were mobilised by a cascade of fake news that culminated in a belief that their community was under attack. With the mainstream media largely sympathetic to the government, those provoking the unrest relied on social media platforms – notably encrypted chat applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram.

Opposition candidate Prabowo Subianto (left) and incumbent President Joko Widodo faced off in this year’s election. Photo: EPA

FROM PROTESTS TO RIOTS

Acting on the belief that the election had been stolen, thousands of protesters descended on the office of the Elections Supervisory Agency on May 21. They demanded the agency disqualify Jokowi and running mate Ma’ruf Amin for “structured, systematic, and massive” electoral fraud. After nightfall, smaller groups began to throw rocks and petrol bombs at police. Skirmishes broke out in the Tanah Abang area of central Jakarta near the headquarters of the Islamic Defenders Front, the lead organisation in the protests. A violent clash occurred and a nearby police dormitory came under attack. By the end of May 23, more than 400 people had been arrested in the worst street violence in Jakarta since the fall of president Suharto in 1998.