Like it or not, we must admit that social media has been used as a propaganda tool

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – TNI commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said that social media plays an important role in creating propaganda for a nation.

“Like it or not, like it or not, we must admit that social media can be used as a means of propaganda,” Hadi said in a webinar titled “Synergy of the nation’s children to maintain the integrity of the nation and the state of separatism in the cyber world “. / 2020).

“With its wide use and reach, social media can be used effectively for information warfare and ideological warfare,” he added.

In his presentation, he said, various features on social media such as labels or tagar and trending topic capable of making information more readily accepted by the public.

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However, you are concerned that information that spreads quickly is a sensitive topic. According to him, this could provoke provocations in the community.

“The language used is usually provocative language, all aimed at arousing people’s emotions,” he explained.

Hadi continued, the sensitive issue raised in provocative language was able to fragment people until they ran into each other.

According to him, if this continues, society will become polarized. However, he recognized that there are elements of society that are not easily consumed by propaganda information.

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On the other hand, he also said, there were many people who were instigated and would replicate the message, even helping to make the propaganda message bigger.

If this was continued, he said, it could lead to identity politics that the colonizers had used against the nation.

“Identity politics has been widely used in recent years because it is seen as easy to erode society and easy to gain support,” he said.

In addition, he also considered that propaganda through social networks was even more effective than armed resistance against the government.

“For example, in turning the government into fake news, the main target is ordinary people and the young generation,” Hadi concluded.