Freedom of expression is guaranteed in the Indonesian constitution. But hoaxes, hate speech and fake news are a serious problem in the internet. It keeps increasing and creates a negative impact on people. People are more and more polarized for example regarding identity issues. This poses a threat to democracy itself.
A positive impact of the digital technology is that it raises political awareness of millennials (17-35 years old). Millennials use social media as a main source of information, so credible information on political issues will contribute to a high participation of millennials in the democratic process.
Prof. Henri Subiakto, adviser to the Communication and Information Minister, in his keynote speech highlighted that digital technology connects people. It gives the authority to everyone to be a commentator and a journalist. This is a high responsibility, and the reason why information is easily manipulated in the internet.
Following the keynote speech, the panel of experts discussed these issues in more detail.