TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The rampant circulation of hoaxes ahead of the presidential election has become even more alarming with massive false news spreading not only on social media but also chatting platforms, including Whatsapp.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said the latest hoax that went viral was on the vote tally at a polling station overseas.

Dedi explained the police estimated that such hoaxes would continue to surface. “Besides, there are also possibilities that there will be other methods to spread hoaxes, including through SMS and other broadcast tools,” he said.

Thus, Dedi appealed to people to refrain from spreading information without prior clarifications and verifications as they might face a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment should the news be found as a hoax. There is also an additional six years’ incarceration if the news contained hate speech.

Read: Wiranto: Public Intimidation by Spread of Hoax is Terrorism

“The police want to remind people to keep away from spreading hoaxes because they could face prison time,” he said.

Former Constitutional Court ((MK) chief justice Mahfud MD also sent a similar warning, saying hoax spreaders could be punished under three laws, among them the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, which carries a penalty of six years behind bars and a fine of Rp1 billion; and Law No. 1 Year 1946.

BISNIS | ANTARA