TY  - JOUR
ID  - digilib49111
UR  - http://search.taylors.edu.my
IS  - 1
A1  - Iswandi Syahputra, -
A1  - Rajab Ritonga, -
A1  - Diah Ajeng Purwani, -
A1  - Masduki, -
A1  - Syarifah Ema Rahmaniah, -
A1  - Umaimah Wahid, -
Y1  - 2021///
N2  - This study looks at the communication on social media in the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, specifically between the aspirations of citizens wishing for a lockdown and buzzers on Twitter rejecting it. Primary data of the study were obtained via interviews with three netizens who are social media activists. They were: CPL, an influencer on Twitter with 135,000 followers; HSW, a media literacy activist; and HA, a blogger. They were selected based on their influence and activities on social media as well as accessibility. The study identified two major findings: first, the public (netizens) via conversations on Twitter wanted the government to implement a lockdown at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the government disregarded this call by utilising buzzers on social media. In practice, these buzzers cyberbullied netizens who requested for a lockdown. Consequently, netizens became polarised between those supporting and opposing a lockdown. This triggered a communication crisis as it led to loss of trust in the government as it did not meet public expectations. Secondly, the government?s use of buzzers to shoot down calls for a lockdown positioned them as an apparatus in the crisis communication throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in the emergence of ?buzzer regime? and ?buzzer state? . Buzzers are a part of the government?s informal apparatus that engage in activities on social media to repress netizens who hold opposing views against the government.
JF  - SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication Research
VL  - 13
KW  - buzzer
KW  -  crisis communication
KW  -  lockdown
KW  -  new media
KW  -  COVID-19 pandemic
SN  - Online ISSN: 2672-7080
TI  - Pandemic politics and communication crisis How social media buzzers impaired the lockdown aspiration in Indonesia
SP  - 31
AV  - public
EP  - 46
ER  -