Membongkar Jejaring Buzzer Penebar Kebencian Rohingya | Buka Mata

Summary

In March 2024, a tragic incident involving Rohingya refugees in West Aceh highlighted the perils faced by this community. Of 149 passengers, only 75 survived. The UN called it the worst incident for Rohingya refugees in Southeast Asia in modern times. However, the tragedy was met with online hatred and disinformation, particularly on social media, where disinformation campaigns fueled negative sentiment. Analysis of 15,000 posts and 3,700 TikTok videos revealed organized hate speech and a coordinated effort to spread disinformation. This online vitriol translated into real-world actions, with incidents of rejection and violence against the refugees. The script explores the role of social media in amplifying hate and its potential to influence public opinion and actions, suggesting that the Rohingya issue was politicized during the 2024 presidential election.

Takeaways

• 🚨 On March 20, 2024, a boat carrying Rohingya refugees sank off West Aceh, with only 75 of 149 passengers surviving, marking a tragic incident labeled by the UN as the worst for Rohingya refugees in modern Southeast Asia.
• 🌐 The incident sparked a wave of disinformation and hate speech on social media, particularly targeting the Rohingya community.
• 🔍 A collaborative analysis of 15,000 social media posts and over 3,700 TikTok videos revealed a systematic spread of hateful disinformation, indicating organized efforts to incite negativity towards the Rohingya.
• 📈 Google Trends data showed a significant increase in public interest and discourse around the Rohingya issue, with peaks in 2015 and 2017 due to refugee arrivals and the Myanmar junta's actions, respectively.
• 📊 Post-incident sentiment analysis showed a drastic shift in public opinion, with nearly 80% of social media comments on the Rohingya being negative.
• 📱 The study identified TikTok as a primary source for spreading disinformation, with certain influencers, like Adi Syahreza and Ali Hamza, playing a significant role in amplifying hate content.
• 🤖 Evidence of inorganic commenting patterns, such as synchronized use of slang and comment spikes at unusual hours, suggested the involvement of bots and coordinated efforts to manipulate public sentiment.
• 🗳️ The Rohingya issue was politicized, with the analysis suggesting a connection between the spread of hate content and the 2024 Indonesian presidential election, potentially using the refugee crisis as a campaign tool.
• 🌐 The report highlighted the global pattern of using anti-immigrant rhetoric in political campaigns, drawing parallels with past strategies in the US, UK, and Germany.
• ⚠️ The script concludes with a warning about the potential for online hate narratives to escalate into real-world actions, emphasizing the need for monitoring and mitigation to prevent further harm.

Q & A

What was the tragic incident involving Rohingya refugees in West Aceh on March 20, 2024?

On March 20, 2024, a boat carrying Rohingya refugees sank off the coast of West Aceh. Out of 149 passengers, only 75 survived, while the rest were lost at sea. The UN stated that this was the worst incident for Rohingya refugees in Southeast Asia in the modern era.

How did some people respond to the Rohingya refugee issue?

The Rohingya refugee issue was met with hatred by some individuals, as evidenced by disinformation and hate speech on social media platforms.

What was the focus of the social media analysis conducted by the research team?

The research team analyzed 15,000 posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and over 3,700 videos on TikTok to understand the spread of hateful disinformation and netizen sentiment regarding the Rohingya issue.

What were the anomalies found in the digital analytics and field investigations related to the Rohingya case?

Anomalies included organized hate speech, likely generated by bots, and a significant increase in negative content and engagement on social media platforms, indicating a shift from online comments to real-world actions.

How did the public sentiment towards Rohingya refugees change over time according to Google trend data?

Google trend data showed that public sentiment towards Rohingya refugees was initially positive, with surges in 2015 and 2017 due to news of their arrival and Myanmar's junta purges. However, from November to December of the previous year, the sentiment turned negative.

What was the percentage of negative public sentiment against the Rohingya found in the Twitter data collected from January to March?

The Twitter data collected from January to March showed that almost 80% of the public sentiment was negative against the Rohingya.

What were some of the disinformation claims about Rohingya refugees that circulated on social media?

Disinformation claims included accusations that Rohingya refugees would colonize Indonesia, were responsible for riot destruction in Sidoarjo, and that UNHCR was facilitating human trafficking.

How did the use of Indonesian slang words like 'aja' in comments on social media indicate an organized response?

The high use of Indonesian slang words like 'aja', which rarely appear as keywords in social media analytics, suggested that the comments were organized and likely generated by bots, indicating a coordinated effort.

What role did TikTok play in the spread of disinformation and hate speech against the Rohingya?

TikTok was identified as a primary source for spreading disinformation and hate speech against the Rohingya, with over 3,700 videos collected during the specified period, reaching more than 1.1 billion views.

Which two macro-influencers were found to be intensively spreading demonization against the Rohingya ethnic group on TikTok?

Two macro-influencers who intensively spread demonization against the Rohingya were Adi Syahreza and Ali Hamza, with their content garnering millions of views and engagements.

How did the social media narrative and disinformation potentially influence real-world actions against Rohingya refugees?

The intense and unmitigated spread of hate propaganda on social media likely contributed to real-world actions against Rohingya refugees, as seen in incidents of forced evictions and mass mobilization against them.