By : Toni Ervianto *)

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, Actually, knowledge and technology progress have indicated with various tools in social media should be educated everyone, to strengthened national integrity and national hospitality, and its could be as civic discussion tools, but recently on the progress in Indonesia, social media has been used as provocative media, media which was hoax circulated rather than a media which is as positive literating to citizens. If its happens, its isn’t suprises if a various cirles have been a question about state readiness to handle those problem which carried out by social media or with other word do we have a grand narrative or grand design to face “propaganda war” and the struggle for influence in social media?

Social media users in Indonesia is amazing ones, because from 259,1 million Indonesian people, approxicimately 34 percent are active as user, 88,1 million are an active using an internet, 79 million are an active using social media, dan 66 million are using cellphone. Even, a new political party in Indonesia is an active using sosial media as their socialization tools. A number of pundit has said Indonesia was entering cyber war (from various sources).

Theory assessment

Facing the issue of mass rally, social media has been using as “propaganda war” and influence struggle (related to Realistic Conflict Theory which had been found by Sherif in 1966), even circulating #rushmoney in social media (later, the National Police has cought a number of perpetrators), which these #rushmoney had been discussed by 1.644 times and its had been circulated through 792 account.

Being admitted or not, “propaganda war” and “the struggle of influence” between anti group rally with pro group rally has been running, even its has any trend that pro rally group more dominant and militant in circulating their messages to social media user. 

A hoax circulation has been reader atmosphere was fullfiled by ridicule and invective news, even hate-speech among people. A social media content has colored by false news or pseudo-conversation which has been circulated in social network and cellphone. A pseudo-things in social media which had been critized by Kierkegaard, a philosofer about public space. According him, a public space which has been fullfiled by pseudo-conversation was representating regardless world from daily concerns.

A hoax information has been circulating in social media, its could be impacted such as an attitude polarization and thought amid citizen which could trigger suspicious, social distress and sosial segregration to the potential of nation disunity (based on Social Dominance Theory which had been found by Felicia Pratto). 

Furthermore, bubble filter phenomenon has been huge circulated with an indication such as a hater will be more hater; narrow thought will be dominated and its will be ruled out heteroginity and a group’s which has a different opinion to an idea which has been discussed in social media will be thrown as “unfriend”.

Facing a next rally event, if examined theoretically also meets the requirements of conflict. John Barton in the 1990s theorized named "Human Needs Theory", which according to this theory of conflict and violence will occur if one party feels that there are other groups blocking the fulfillment of their needs.

Grand Narrative Design

Facing “propaganda war and the struggle of influence in social media”, its needs a grand narrative design is a necessity. Actually, to win “battle” in social media must have two big base modal are a valid data and narrative or a good story, because a good story in social media could be triggered “story of eyes” which could be flourished through share, view, unique account and buzz which is supporting our story in social media. 

So, to win “battle” in social media doesn’t an easy task. Building a good story in social media, we must have a grand narrative design. To have it, we must collaboration with political, sociolog, antropolog and psychological experties.

Last but not least, the state must build digital or cyber army, because being admitted or not, actually the efforts to tackle and to minimalize a negative impact from social media through counter narrative had been done by citizen rather than a government apparatus. The question is how long people or citizen endurance to make a counter narrative will stand? It’s the urgency of digital or cyber army which must be built by state. Hopefully.

*) Earned his master at the University of Indonesia. A columnist, mass communication and a strategic issues observer. Residing in Jakarta.

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