The internet has created a reality in contemporary life that seems inseparable from humanity, transforming the concepts of distance and time into something limitless. Through the internet, people can engage in various activities that would be challenging in the physical world due to distance constraints, providing convenience and practicality in every endeavor.
The role of internet media has been instrumental in helping society meet its needs. Over time, social interaction media, such as social media, has become the primary means of communication in the virtual world. Social media and blogs are common forms of social media used by people worldwide.
However, it must be acknowledged that the internet and social media are not only utilized as tools for information dissemination and communication by the public. They can also serve as means for terrorists to spread radical propaganda and carry out terrorist acts that disrupt societal peace.
Government efforts to address terrorism threats have forced terrorists to be dynamic in changing their strategies. Radicalization, initially conducted through face-to-face meetings and offline physical contact, has now shifted to the use of internet technology.
In the current political context, the role of the internet and social media is significant and often exploited as tools for propaganda and the dissemination of terrorist ideologies through political misinformation. This situation is highly dangerous and can impact national security stability. Society can be provoked and even fall deeper into radical ideologies as a result of this influence.
Political Manipulation and Radicalism
Internet abuse is on the rise, particularly through the spread of political propaganda and misinformation, given the intense political period we are currently experiencing. Irfan Idris, Director of Prevention at the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), states that radical content on social media has three main characteristics: promoting puritanism, expressing antipathy toward the state system, and advocating intolerance.