Information Broker and Communication Pattern Among the Poor in the Government 5.0 Era

Abstract

This paper studies the risks of ICT-based public policy communication for the poor in the Government 5.0 era. The aim of this study is to explain the level of internet-based media literacy, the communication pattern, and key components in the process of understanding public policy information by the poor. Conducted in a city which has been awarded as Smart City of The Year 2016-2018. Samples were taken from the poor families in the local community unit from 3 sub districts. The data was collected by questionnaire and analyzed using Social Network Analysis and Actor Network Theory. This study finds that public policy communication using internet-based technology has potential to marginalized the poor and make them more dependent to information brokers. The level of online media among the poor is very low because the device is still too expensive for them to purchase. Majority of the poor receives public information from face-to-face forums and the need for information brokers is high. The novelty of this study lays in the emergence of the paradox that in a city that is awarded as a Smart City we find the group that are disconnected from the online media, and therefore unexposed to the public policy disseminated by online media. This study concludes that a Smart City, as a representation of Government 5.0, has potential to marginalize the poor to be non-smart people. This study give suggestions for the local government to remidy the paradox.