Smoke in the air, noise online: Public response to forest fires
While thick haze chokes the skies, an online disconnect between citizens and the state reveals that Indonesia’s greatest firefighting challenge may be digital, not just environmental.
Thick haze shrouds the skies of Indonesia, prompting a surge in online debate as citizens grapple with the nation's recurring forest fires. The environmental disaster extends far beyond ecological damage, as transboundary haze disrupts the daily lives and public health of Southeast Asian nations. However, the crisis has evolved into a digital communication challenge, with social media wielding immense power to shape public sentiment.
Indonesia's crisis communication is under scrutiny, as a comprehensive analysis of over 11,000 posts on X (formerly Twitter) reveals a stark disconnect between the most vocal citizens and high-level state actors. The 10 most active contributors are ordinary citizens and niche influencers, while the 10 most frequently tagged accounts are comprised of top government officials, such as President Prabowo Subianto and Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, along with mainstream media outlets and prominent public figures.
Notably, there is no overlap between these two groups, indicating that digital communication during the crisis is primarily unidirectional. This lack of reciprocal communication fails to foster meaningful civic engagement or counter misinformation. To effectively address the crisis, authorities must adopt calm, clear, and timely digital communication strategies that empower dialogue and deliver messages from credible sources.
By listening to the public, responding appropriately, and establishing open lines of communication, Indonesia can build trust, counter disinformation, and navigate this complex digital landscape.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
