Propaganda, commodification, and resistance on invasion of illegal China workers hoaxes

Abstract

In the end of 2016, the invasion of illegal China workers hoaxes spread in Indonesia. One of the sites that disseminated the hoaxes was Postmetro.info. At least, there were 160 hoaxes, that fabricated like news, that produced by the site. In the hoaxes, illegal China workers were depicted as a social infectious disease. Beside s that, the millions of illegal China workers had invaded Indonesia. Even, any people labeled as Chinese posited as order threats, morality destroyers, and common enemy that should be annihilated. Postmetro.info claimed that the hoaxes were a manifestation of alternative media. It was because the dominant media controlled by the government. In more deliberately judgment, Postmetro.info didn’t present alternative information, but propaganda that intentionally provoked emotions and narrow the complexities of the labor problems. The hoaxes purposely sold to advertisers to get financial benefit. That indication in media studies called as commodification. The way that used by Postmetro.info was changing the headlines of mainstream media with provocative words to evoke audience interests. The site never runs journalism procedures. Hereafter, the hoaxes went viral that could gain advertisements. That meant the site could have obtained income without working like the other media institution.  Another important aspect that could be revealed was Postmetro.info deliberately resisted the power holders. The site could be assessed as the advocate for the marginalized voices of cultural and economic sectors. However, in the moral perspective, the site contradicts to journalism ethics and expectation of citizens that wanted the good resistance tactics.