From persuasion to panic

algorithmic affordances and the affective turn of electoral disinformation on social media in Indonesia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18568/cmc.2026.e3122

Keywords:

affective communication, algorithmic affordances, electoral disinformation, Indonesia, social media platforms

Abstract

Electoral disinformation in Indonesia has often been understood as persuasive communication aimed at shaping political beliefs. This article shows that the 2024 election cycle marks a shift toward panicoriented disinformation that frames politics as an unfolding crisis rather than an object of deliberation. Using a comparative qualitative analysis of debunked election-related disinformation from the 2019 and 2024 elections, the study examines changes in platforms, content formats, and circulation patterns. The findings show that while disinformation in 2019 relied on explicit claims and ideological messaging, disinformation in 2024 predominantly circulates as video-based content optimized for algorithmic visibility on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, functioning as atmospheric communication that shapes collective moods and perceptions of instability.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Fitri Murfianti, Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Leiden University; Department of Visual Communication Design, Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Surakarta

PhD candidate in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at Leiden University. Her doctoral research, Islamic-Inspired Memes in Digital Indonesia: Humour, Platform Affordances, and the Negotiation of Religious Difference, examines how digital platforms shape religious difference, political communication, and public discourse in Indonesia. She is also a lecturer in Visual Communication Design at Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Surakarta. E-mail: f.murfianti@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

Nuril Hidayah, Islamic Economics study Program, STAI Mifathul ‘Ula Nganjuk

Academic at Islamic Economics Study Program, STAI Miftahul ‘Ula Nganjuk, specializing in religious text studies and the impact of digital disruption on religious and social behavior. She actively bridges this academic background with practical expertise as a member of Mafindo’s Research and Development team, contributing to national-level mapping of hoaxes and digital literacy initiatives. E-mail: nuril@staimnglawak.ac.id

Finsensius Yuli Purnama, Katolik Widya Mandala University

Faculty member in the Department of Communication Science at Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya. He earned his doctoral degree in Media and Cultural Studies in 2022 from Universitas Gadjah Mada. He is currently active as a researcher at Mafindo and ISAC-Research, National University of Singapore. His research interests focus on new media communication. E-mail: finsensius@ukwms.ac.id

References

ALLCOTT, H.; GENTZKOW, M. Social media and fake news in the 2016 election. Journal of Economic Perspectives, v. 31, n. 2, p. 211-236, 2017. DOI: 10.1257/jep.31.2.211.

BENNETT, W. L.; LIVINGSTON, S. The disinformation order: disruptive communication and the decline of democratic institutions. European Journal of Communication, v. 33, n. 2, p. 122-139, 2018. DOI: 10.1177/0267323118760317.

CINELLI, M.; QUATTROCIOCCHI, W.; GALEAZZI, A.; VALENSISE, C. M.; BRUGNOLI, E.; SCHMIDT, A. L.; ZOLA, P.; ZOLLO, F.; SCALA, A. The COVID-19 social media infodemic. Scientific Reports, v. 10, n. 1, p. 16598, 2020. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73510-5.

EVANS, S. K.; PEARCE, K.; VITAK, J.; TREEM, J. W. Explicating affordances: a conceptual framework for understanding affordances in communication research. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, v. 22, n. 1, p. 35-52, 2017. DOI: 10.1111/jcc4.12180.

FOSSATI, D. The resurgence of ideology in Indonesia: political Islam, aliran and political behaviour. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, v. 38, n. 2, p. 119-148, 2019. DOI: 10.1177/1868103419868400.

GAO, Y.; LIU, F.; GAO, L. Echo chamber effects on short video platforms. Scientific Reports, v. 13, n. 1, p. 6282, 2023. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33370-1.

GRAVES, L. Deciding what’s true: the rise of political fact-checking in American journalism. New York: Columbia University Press, 2016.

HAMELEERS, M. Cheap versus deep manipulation: the effects of cheapfakes versus deepfakes in a political setting. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, v. 36, n. 1, edae004, 2024. DOI: 10.1093/ijpor/edae004.

HAMELEERS, M.; POWELL, T. E.; VAN DER MEER, T. G. L. A.; BOS, L. A picture paints a thousand lies? The effects and mechanisms of multimodal disinformation and rebuttals disseminated via social media. Political Communication, v. 37, n. 2, p. 281-301, 2020. DOI: 10.1080/10584609.2019.1674979.

HASANI, N. et al. Hoaks Pemilu Tahun 2024: teropong fenomena hoaks dalam Pilpres dan Pilkada. Jakarta: Penerbit Rumah Penalaran Indonesia, 2025.

HUMPRECHT, E.; ESSER, F.; VAN AELST, P. Resilience to online disinformation: a framework for cross-national comparative research. International Journal of Press/Politics, v. 25, n. 3, p. 493-516, 2020. DOI: 10.1177/1940161219900126.

HUTCHBY, I. Affordances and the analysis of technologically mediated interaction: a response to Brian Rappert. Sociology, v. 37, n. 3, p. 581-589, 2003. DOI: 10.1177/00380385030373011.

KRIPPENDORFF, K. Conceptual foundation. In: KRIPPENDORFF, K. Content analysis: an introduction to its methodology. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2019. p. 24-50. DOI: 10.4135/9781071878781.n3.

NEUMAN, W. L. Social research methods: qualitative and quantitative approaches. 7. ed. Boston: Pearson, 2014.

ONG, J. C.; TAPSELL, R. Demystifying disinformation shadow economies: fake news work models in Indonesia and the Philippines. Asian Journal of Communication, v. 32, n. 3, p. 251-267, 2022. DOI: 10.1080/01292986.2021.1971270.

PAPACHARISSI, Z. Affective publics: sentiment, technology, and politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.

PARK, J.; JUNG, Y. Unveiling the dynamics of binge-scrolling: a comprehensive analysis of short-form video consumption using a Stimulus-Organism-Response model. Telematics and Informatics, v. 95, p. 102200, 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.tele.2024.102200.

PETERS, J. D. The marvelous clouds: toward a philosophy of elemental media. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2015.

RITCHIE, J.; LEWIS, J. (org.). Qualitative research practice: a guide for social science students and researchers. 2. ed. London: Sage, 2014.

SONG, S.; ZHAO, Y. C.; YAO, X.; BA, Z.; ZHU, Q. Short video apps as a health information source: an investigation of affordances, user experience and users’ intention to continue the use of TikTok. Internet Research, v. 31, n. 6, p. 2120-2142, 2021. DOI: 10.1108/INTR-10-2020-0593.

VAN DIJCK, J.; POELL, T.; DE WAAL, M. The platform society: public values in a connective world. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018.

WAHL-JORGENSEN, K. Emotions, media and politics. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2019.

WEIKMANN, T.; LECHELER, S. Visual disinformation in a digital age: a literature synthesis and research agenda. New Media & Society, v. 25, n. 12, p. 3696-3713, 2023. DOI: 10.1177/14614448221141648.

Downloads

Published

2026-05-28

How to Cite

Murfianti, F., Hidayah, N., & Yuli Purnama, F. (2026). From persuasion to panic: algorithmic affordances and the affective turn of electoral disinformation on social media in Indonesia . Comunicação Mídia E Consumo, 23, e3122. https://doi.org/10.18568/cmc.2026.e3122

Issue

Vol. 23 (2026): Continuous Publication - Jan./Dec.

Section

Artigos

License

Authors retain the copyright and grant the journal the right to first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License that allows the work sharing with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this magazine.