SOCIAL MEDIA DUALISM DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN INDONESIA: RELIABLE INFORMATION IS THE KEY

Abstract

Social media has a dualism towards COVID-19 pandemic. It is extremely important to spread fast, updated, and reliable information about COVID-19 to society. However, public health also challenged with a risk of patients’ exposure to the misleading and fallacious information. Fallacious information, including misinformation and disinformation, may spread faster than virus itself, cause chaotic, public distrust, also exacerbated the
situation. Therefore, this review aims to elucidate the role of social media during COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Computerized data searching through several databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, and governmental websites was conducted, expert opinion also included as well. Popular hashtag such as #MediaLawanCOVID19 and #AmanDiRumah are being widely campaign through social media to raise awareness and educate society. Nevertheless, the discussion content and public sentiment towards COVID-19 is very dynamic. Ministry of Communication and Information reported fallacious information about COVID-19 drastically increased from 147 hoaxes in March 2020 into 1.920 hoaxes in August 2020. In addition, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube being the most frequent social media used in Indonesia. Social media is essential to disseminate fast,
updated, reliable, and massive information. In conclusion, social media has dualism effects towards COVID-19 pandemic, it may worsen or useful for handling current situation. Therefore, government and society must hand in hand to critically appraises information before sharing, since reliable information is the key.