COMBATING BLACK CAMPAIGN IN SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FREE, FAIR AND PEACEFUL GENERAL ELECTION

Abstract

Social media shifts how people campaign during election. It makes campaign become easier, cheaper, and faster. Although campaign in social media did not always end up
in a good way, since election participants and their sympathizers could possibly use social media to boost up black campaign. Black campaign could take shape as hate speech or disinformation. Badan Pengawas Pemilihan Umum (Bawaslu) as a product of electoral reform in Indonesia was build to forestall violations during the election. Therefore, it is Bawaslu’s role to supervise the whole process of the election, including campaign in social media. Social media is not a private sphere, it already becomes a public sphere. As a public sphere, social media needs the presence of Bawaslu to maintain order especially to minimize hate speech and disinformation during the election time. Bawaslu’s authority to conduct supervision in social media is regulated in Bawaslu Regulation Number 12 Year 2018 on Campaign Supervision. This regulation authorizes Bawaslu to supervise election participants’ social media account that registered to General Election Commission and unregistered social media account during election time. In order to supervise social media, first of all Bawaslu made an election vulnerability index. Election vulnerability index would show Bawaslu which part of Indonesia needs more attention in terms of social media campaign. Bawaslu would also set a prevention strategy to reduce black campaign in social media, such as spread a positive campaign in social media. Finally, Bawaslu would take bold action if Bawaslu finds black campaign in social media during election time by taking down the post or the account