The Role of the Elections Supervisory Agency to Contend Hoax and Hate Speech in the Course of 2019 Indonesian General Election

Abstract

The Elections Supervisory Agency, in Indonesia known as Bawaslu (Badan Pengawas Pemilu), is the supervisor for all elections in Indonesia. The Agency has many roles, authorities, and obligations. One of their authorities is to oversee the activities of campaigns in various platforms, including the social media. The Agency has an authority to ensure and to keep the election participants not to violate campaign rules. They are obliged to ensure no misuse of social media, considering that the social media has been platforms to spread hoaxes and hate speeches–activities that can disrupt and undermine the ongoing democratic process. This study aims to explain the achievements of Bawaslu in carrying out the process of monitoring social media, the obstacles, the findings, the enforcements, and the importance of the role of state institutions. Prior to the prosecution, such as taking down media content, account deletion, or criminal prosecution, it is necessary to pay attention to the existing legal rules. This study performed analysis employing qualitative method with juridical-empirical approach. The data consisted of the spread of hoaxes and hate speeches that are spread on social media during the course of the 2019 Election stages.