Digital Thumbnail
During Indonesia presidential election year, in 2019, Indonesia media (off and online) was dominated by the news of politic campaigns with the candidates running for office: Joko Widodo and Ma’ruf Amin vs. Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno, as the highlighter. However, during that time, another candidate also went viral in media, although the candidate cannot be elected for real because they were only a meme.
This meme candidate had expected real and standard campaign. They had ‘standard’ political banner with creative programs, they had jingle which became famous, and of course an eye-catching slogan: #DILDOFORINDONESIA. If you are familiar with Indonesians slang, then it also easy to notice that their campaign material was highly correlated with sexual insinuation and crude jokes.
Some people argued that Indonesian, especially young generation, became fed up and bored with black and negative campaigns in Indonesia politics environment. For instance, the admins behind this meme are 17–23 years old [1]. They never met each other before developed the ‘online coalition’ and admitted that they funded personally for all the campaigns because they bored with negative campaigns which divided Indonesia [1]. Really not such a serious movement, but actually, the #DILDOFORINDONESIA campaign was not wholly a parody. Behind the vulgar and absurd jokes, the admins want to criticize Indonesia politic and society.
Backing the Kiwi meme
Meme story from Indonesia is a little bit different from New Zealand. In an election year, and even before the year, political memes appear all over the internet in New Zealand [2]. It is believed that youngster is behind the meme movement in NZ. Hence, it could prove that they have particular interest and opinion in politics. But surprisingly, youth engagement in an election still in the lowest cohort, far from the expectation [3].
Meme as a minor adjustment in digital politics engagement is not changed how youth engagement in the electoral process. We can say that ‘meme movement’ is one of the examples that young generation tends to participate in political engagement and try to sprout and enrich information in digital spectrum in a familiar way for them. But while the information is getting richer, the dissimilation in political engagement remains still, especially young participation in politics. Boyd [4] argues that youngster tends to bring their values which result in their attitudes and their positioning in the relationship in the digital relationship.
The values of youth in here relate to their consideration in facing real and complex problems in this demanding world. They perhaps more consider with short-term goals. Hence for the youngster who identified that politic could be an excellent attempt to solve the real and complex issue, with rich information, they will be willing to participate. However, although digital online provide access to political engagement and information about politics, it seems not enough to provoke them to engage.
Thumbnail beyond the meme
Similar with the perception that because ‘young generation engage in the political meme, they will participate in electoral’, the perception that ‘youngster automatically engage in digital media because they were born in the digital era’, is totally wrong [4]. For example, although they seem easily engage and familiar with internet and information and communication technology, youth not instantly become a critical information contributor [4]. Youth still need education, skills, and access to involve in digital engagement and use the internet effectively [5].
Indeed, the internet is perceived as a high calibre media for communicating. However, without proficient knowledge of how to communicate effectively, the youth behaviours in using the internet tend to mimic the way they tend to position their self in real life [4]. And it includes their identities, networks, environment, values, attitudes, and also the unintended biases of class, cultural and social prejudice, and bullying youth preface in everyday life [4]. Hence, education to communicate and engage effectively in digital media is essential. Reflection of ‘meme movement’ both in Indonesia and New Zealand captures youth’s attitudes towards an issue. In Indonesia, their memes breach the taboo, which identifies how youth tend to be creative in proposing their opinions, although perhaps it will increase moral questions and graze the danger though. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, their memes more refer to how the youth try to build influence and connection among their peer and make it as their identities.
Furthermore, we can mention another result of lack of knowledge in communication in digital media, such as cyberbullying. How they engage in digital media only replicate the real world they have to encounter, and it results in more dividing world rather than a possibility of high-quality communication which could be achieved by using digital media [4]. Therefore, it is beneficial to give education on how people should engage and communicate in digital media.
Do not know then do not love
Below the terms of education, we could also add that knowledge of the content is essential. The internet inevitably provides abundant information. Hence it is essential to support youth on how to find and use the proper information provided online. For instance, Dr Molineaux from the Auckland University of Technology argues that the low level of civics literacy, such as lack of knowledge about the election, how to enrol, or simply not having enough information about candidates and their programs, could influence youth to not engage in politics [6]. Increase the knowledge of specific content could encourage them to engage in that topic more. Besides, another example: dominant political propaganda or agenda-setting from powerful people, which could shape youth perceptions [7]. Therefore, youth have to be taught to choose the information critically [5].
Do not have key then do not love
Nevertheless, beyond the knowledge to communicate and grab information, there are also gaps in access and skills to engage in digital media. These two gaps were contributed by economic background, lack of education and cultural disadvantage, as well as age [5]. Some youth could not engage in digital media because they have no luxury chances, such as they come from the poverty-environment or their cultural do not permit them to access technology. Statistic New Zealand finds out that access to digital inclusion is influenced by the income of the family [8]. There is also a survey in 2015 figure out that a lot of Maori and Pasifika digitally excluded [9].
This situation also faced by the older generation. Dr Wrapson said that in New Zealand, age-related gaps in digital engagement still exist and people who are living in an aged care environment obtain vulnerability regarding digital engagement [10]. This cohort is dependent on their environment, such as family to keep them digitally connected [4; 10].
Know, Key, and Love
Therefore, it is crucial to addressing digital inequality with systematic and equal system and opportunities for all the people [5]. Not only youth need to be digital literacy educated or increase their access and skills into communication technology, but also all the society need it, because it will influence digitally inclusion, including reducing cyberbullying, racism and prejudice in digital engagement.
References:
[1] BBC. (2019). Nurhadi-Aldo: Dari tukang pijat sampai jadi pasangan capres guyonan. Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/trensosial-46751492
[2] McConnell, Glenn. (2017). Inside the world of political memes and the teens trying to influence the election. Retrieved from: https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/95874625/inside-the-world-of-political-memes-and-the-teens-trying-to-influence-the-election
[3] Barraclough, Breanna. (2017). Decision 17: The people behind the election’s top memes. Retrieved from: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/09/decision-17-the-people-behind-the-election-s-top-memes.html
[4] Boyd, Danah. (2013). It’s complicated the social lives of networked teens.
[5] Mossberger, Karen. (2010). Toward digital citizenship: addressing inequality in the information age.
[6] AUT News. (2019). Online Voting won’t engage more youth. Retrieved from: https://news.aut.ac.nz/news/online-voting-wont-engage-more-youth2
[7] Brundidge, J., & Rice, R. E. (2010). Political engagement online: do the information rich get richer and the like-minded more similar?
[8] Kenny, Katie. (2017). Internet access improves the life of many but these New Zealanders are being left behind. Retrieved from: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/99584845/internet-access-improves-the-life-of-many-but-these-new-zealanders-are-being-left-behind
[9] Smith, Philippa., Bell, Allan., Miller, Melissa., and Crothers, Charles. (2016). Internet Trends in New Zealand 2007–2015. Retrieved from: https://workresearch.aut.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/71329/WIPNZtrends-07-15.pdf
[10] Press Release: Auckland Univrsity of Technology. (2019). Retrieved from: https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1903/S00262/digital-divide-still-exists-for-older-people.htm
