Researchers warn that data misuse could sway Indonesian general elections

In December 2018, the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) warned that data misuse and voter behavioural targeting and micro-targeting could prove factors in the 2019 Indonesian general elections. Researcher Wahyudi Djafar cited examples from Kenya, where Cambridge Analytica had sent tailored personal text messages to voters in order to promote ethnic division. Djafar thought the risk in Indonesia was particularly intense because 130 million of the country's 132 million internet users are active social media users, opening the way for massive exploitation of personal data. The regulations in force are the Communications and Information Ministry Regulation No. 20/2016 and Law No. 7/2017 on General Elections, which organisations like the Network for Democracy and Electoral Integrity argue are inadequate. 

https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/12/28/experts-warn-about-exploitation-of-voters-personal-data.html
http://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/talking-indonesia-big-data-privacy-and-elections/

Writer: Jakarta Post, Dave McRae
Publication: Jakarta Post, Talking Indonesia
Publication date: 2018-12-28, 2019-02-21