CSIS Expert: Rampant Hoax Spread Can Increase Nonvoters
Translator
Ricky Mohammad Nugraha
Editor
Petir Garda Bhwana
Rabu, 6 Maret 2019 08:19 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) political expert Arya Fernandes argues that being fed-up by the spread of falsified information or hoax nearing the general elections could potentially cause more people to be nonvoters or golput.
“Voters can be discontented by hoax if they are not affiliated with any side,” said Arya on Tuesday.
Arya argues that the voters’ demographic prone to become nonvoters are those that has yet made a choice. This group will be sickened to see the war between candidates and might veer them into nonvoters.
This is different to loyal voters who are not affected by hoaxes. “Loyal voters have a strong immune system,” said Arya.
Another argument is that the spread of hoax can extract antipathy from society towards politics and further reduce the number of people involved in political activities, which would later harm democracy caused by the lack of political participation.