Indonesian Journal of Digital Society

Digital Democracy in Post‑2024 Indonesia: Between Expanded Participation and Normalized Polarization

Setyo Hari Priyono — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This article examines the ambivalent trajectory of Indonesia’s digital democracy after the 2024 national elections, focusing on how digitalization reshapes participation, public discourse, and electoral governance. Using a qualitative descriptive, literature‑based design, the study synthesizes international meta‑analyses on digital media and participation, research on digital inclusion and critical digital literacy, and Indonesian evidence from academic studies, official reports, and civil society monitoring. The findings show that social media and online platforms have expanded information access and expressive political engagement, especially among younger citizens, yet participation remains socially stratified and often shallow, mirroring global patterns of participation bias. Furthermore, industrialized disinformation, buzzer networks, and emerging uses of AI‑generated content erode epistemic quality and trust, while regulatory and supervisory responses by electoral bodies remain fragmented and formalistic. Therefore, the article argues for structural reforms that combine digital inclusion, critical digital literacy, and platform governance. Future research needs to focus on buzzer ecosystems, AI‑mediated campaigning, and digital intraparty democracy.

Social Movements and Digital Activism on Twitter: A Case Study of Development Conflict over the National Strategic Projects (PSN) Rempang Eco City in Batam

Isti' Adah — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji fenomena gerakan sosial dan aktivisme dalam ruang publik digital, khususnya Twitter, yang berkaitan dengan konflik pembangunan Proyek Strategis Nasional (PSN) Rempang Eco City. Konsep ruang publik yang dikemukakan oleh Habermas dipahami sebagai arena komunikasi dan advokasi masyarakat. Ruang ini diartikan sebagai tempat yang inklusif, deliberatif dan partisipatif yang mendorong interaksi antar individu. Munculnya ruang publik baru seperti cyberspace mampu mengubah bentuk ruang publik ke dalam format digital. Berbeda dengan ruang publik tradisional, cyberspace memberikan kesempatan bagi berbagai elemen masyarakat untuk berkomunikasi, berinteraksi dan menyampaikan pandangannya kapan saja dan di mana saja. Pembangunan PSN Rempang Eco City di Pulau Rempang, Batam merupakan salah satu contoh konflik agraria yang mencerminkan kompleksitas antara pembangunan ekonomi dan hak-hak masyarakat adat. Hingga 2024 isu ini tetap hangat dan menjadi perbincangan. Konflik Pembangunan PSN Rempang ini menyoroti isu lokal serta menunjukkan bagaimana masyarakat memanfaatkan ruang digital untuk menciptakan narasi alternatif dan menentang kebijakan yang dianggap melanggar keadilan sosial. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini yaitu kualitatif dengan pendekatan Social Network Analysis (SNA). Data yang digunakan adalah unggahan-unggahan media sosial Twitter selama periode 8-18 September 2023. Penelitian ini juga mengkaji sentiment opini publik, analisis tagar, aktor kunci, dan wacana yang berkembang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa gerakan sosial dan praktik aktivisme digital melalui Twitter pada konflik Pembangunan PSN Rempang Eco City telah efektif untuk mobilisasi sosial, Berdasarkan hasil analisis SNA sebesar 65% Kontra, Kelompok ini tegaskan tolak relokasi warga Pulau Rempang dan mengecam terhadap aksi anarkis aparat yang dilakukan kepada warga Rempang.

Family Communication in the Digital Era for Resolving Household Conflicts

Djudjur Luciana Rajagukguk, Yayu Sriwartini , Tamara Ramadhanis — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study aims to analyze the application of family communication in resolving
domestic conflict, focusing on conversation orientation, compliance, and
interpersonal communication skills. The research method used a qualitative approach
with a literature review of couples who had experienced domestic conflict. The
results indicate that communication based on openness, mutual respect, and thirdparty mediation, when necessary, can reduce conflict intensity and improve the
quality of family relationships. Therefore, implementing effective family
communication is a key strategy in maintaining household stability and the
psychological well-being of family members. Therefore, it is important to find
effective solutions that can help resolve these conflicts. Communication is key in
resolving conflict, with values such as compassion and patience helping to manage
differences more effectively. This approach strengthens emotional and spiritual
bonds, creating a more stable and healthy family environment.

Balancing Constitutional Rights and Personal Data Protection for Citizens in the Digital Society: A Proportionality Test Analysis of Constitutional Court Decisions

May Lim Charity, Syaifuddin Anshory — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

The development of digital technology and the enactment of the Personal Data Protection Law (PDP Law) have raised constitutional tensions between the right to privacy and freedom of expression, particularly when the disclosure of personal data is related to public interest. This conflict raises questions about how the Constitutional Court balances these two rights in Decision Number 135/PUU-XXIII/2025 and the extent to which the approach used reflects the proportionality test. This study aims to analyse the practice of balancing rights in the decision, examine its compliance with the stages of the proportionality test, and formulate a more systematic model for applying proportionality in the context of digital constitutionalism. The study employs normative legal methods with conceptual, legislative, and case study approaches, as well as limited comparative analysis. The research results indicate that the Court has substantively carried out constitutional balancing, but has not yet operationalized the proportionality test explicitly and systematically, especially in terms of necessity and proportionality in the strict sense. The implication is that formalization of the proportionality test is needed in adjudication and legislative practices to maintain the balance of rights in a rational, consistent, and democratic manner in the era of digital governance.

Analysis of Reading Interest Among Adolescents in The Digital Age (A study at Sman 4 Bogor)

Syahrul Maulana Insan, Mintarti Mintarti, Soetji Lestari — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study aims to identify factors that may enhance adolescents’ reading interest
amid the current digital transformation. Conducted at SMAN 4, Bogor City, West
Java, the research employs a descriptive-quantitative method with a proportionate
random sampling technique. The sample includes 152 students drawn from a total
population of 635. The findings reveal that education and parental involvement play
pivotal roles in fostering reading interests, highlighting the profound impact of
socialisation on individual behaviour. Furthermore, the study indicates that students’
reading preferences have expanded beyond traditional printed books to various
digital platforms, such as web articles, digital comics, and social media. Finally, the
results suggest that students’ habitus deeply influences the formation of reading
interest. At the same time, advances in technology and the internet have
fundamentally altered how high schoolers access and engage with literary resources.

Reproducing Nutritional Knowledge in the Digital Ecosystem through Adolescent Counseling Practices

Abellia Cluara Salza Mustika, Muhammad Haikal Kawedar — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

In the digital society, nutritional knowledge is continuously reproduced through mediated interactions rather than transmitted linearly. This study examines how nutritional knowledge is reproduced in the digital ecosystem through adolescent counseling practices. Using a qualitative case study of two nutrition students participating in a public counseling competition themed “Healthy Eating as Fuel for Modern Adolescents,” the research explores how evidence-based dietary guidelines were translated into accessible messages for youth audiences. Despite limited preparation time and the absence of face-to-face rehearsals, coordination was conducted through digital communication, reflecting the mediated nature of contemporary knowledge production. The findings reveal three interconnected processes: academic reproduction of scientific references, communicative adaptation to adolescent discourse, and symbolic amplification through media exposure, including radio interviews. The study argues that adolescent counseling represents a socio-digital negotiation of meaning in which young nutrition educators actively reconstruct and legitimize healthy eating narratives within the digital ecosystem.