Indonesia: weaponising algorithms to silence dissent

Skewing the online discussion threatens media literacy.

A social media cyber war raged throughout Indonesia’s past two presidential elections. The effects are still being felt by journalists years later — online discussions have been skewed to give the impression of a majority view, and those who disagree stay quiet.

Victims to what German political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann dubbed the ‘spiral of silence’ theory, citizens remain in the grip of fear and suppress their participation in public discussion.