SOCIAL MEDIA AS POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN THE REGIONAL ELECTIONS

Abstract

This study aims to identify the effectiveness of using social media for a regional election campaign in Central Sulawesi. This study used a qualitative method. The informants for this study were campaign teams and political actors involved in the use of social media in the 2018 regional election in Central Sulawesi. This study also involved people or communities who felt the effects of social media in the regional elections. Data were collected through observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation. In addition to in-depth interviews, spontaneous interviews were also conducted. Data were analyzed using an interactive approach covering data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results of the study showed some benefits of social media in regional head elections in Central Sulawesi, but also weaknesses such as the widespread hoax news and hate speeches in social media. Technological developments through social media in the implementation of regional elections have become the center of attention which facilitates and make the Election Supervisory Agency work harder due to the hoax news and hate speeches by the campaign team of each candidate in Central Sulawesi. In general, social media makes it easier for the campaign team to implement political communication but during the election process, there are frictions caused by hoax news and hate speech from each campaign team.