Digital Media and Indonesian Young People: Building Sustainable Democratic Institutions and Practices Fiona Suwana Master of Science in Communication Science (University of Indonesia) Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication (STIKOM LSPR - Jakarta) School of Communication Digital Media Research Centre Creative Industries Faculty Queensland University of Technology Thesis submitted in requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Principal Supervisor: Professor Terry Flew Associate Supervisor: Associate Professor Angela Roma 2018 Keywords Civic engagement, digital media, digital media activism, digital media literacy, democracy, Indonesia, Internet, Internet engagement, Save KPK movement, social movement, politics, political movement, political participation, young people i Abstract In Indonesia, digital media practices have enabled more young people than ever before to engage in civic and political activism, but there is little knowledge about the processes, motivations, and literacies that these young people need to explore or extend for their civic engagement and political participation. This thesis aims to investigate how Indonesian young people have been able to utilize digital media for civic engagement and political participation to support democracy in Indonesia, as the world's third-largest democracy. This research focuses on Indonesian young people and includes interviews with activists, politicians, and government staff that were involved in the Save KPK Movement in 2015, as well as interviews and focus group discussions with university or college students in five universities and one college in or near Jakarta. This research revealed factors that affect young people’s digital media literacy and digital media activism, as well as motivations and deterrents for being politically active in ways that support democratic practices and institutions in Indonesia. ii Table of Contents Digital Media and Indonesian Young People: Building Sustainable Democratic Institutions and Practices ............................................................................................................................................ i Keywords .......................................................................................................................................... i Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ iii List of Figures .................................................................................................................................. vi List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... vii Statement of original authorship ................................................................................................... viii Acknowledgment ............................................................................................................................ ix Publication ...................................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Research background and question ................................................................................. 1 1.2 The development of democracy in Indonesia .................................................................. 3 1.3 The development of the Internet in Indonesia ................................................................. 9 1.4 Chapter breakdown ....................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 2: Literature Review .......................................................................................................... 17 2.1 Introduction: Digital media, young people and political participation in Indonesia ....... 17 2.2 Participatory democracy ................................................................................................ 19 2.3 Communicative abundance ........................................................................................... 24 2.4 Digital media, democracy and the Save KPK movement ................................................ 25 2.5 Motivation and capacities to engage in online civic engagement and political participation ............................................................................................................................... 29 2.5.1 Young people with online civic and political engagement .......................................... 33 2.6 The development of digital media literacy ..................................................................... 41 2.6.1 Online privacy and safety .......................................................................................... 45 2.7 Digital media for social movements and activism .......................................................... 46 2.8 Connection of the literature to the research problem .................................................... 49 Chapter 3: Program and design of the research investigation ......................................................... 52 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 52 3.2 Methodology and research design ................................................................................. 52 3.2.1 Interviewing method ................................................................................................. 54 3.2.2 Focus group methods ................................................................................................ 57 3.2.3 Case study approach ................................................................................................. 58 3.3 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 62 Chapter 4: Digital media activities in political participation: A study of the Save KPK movement... 64 4.1 The motivation for the Save KPK movement.................................................................. 64 4.1.1 Delivering good information to society...................................................................... 65 iii 4.1.2 The existence of KPK as an institution ....................................................................... 68 4.1.3 The relationships with the participant’s work or background .................................... 69 4.1.4 Belief in the need to make social change and be effective politically ........................ 72 4.1.5 Eradicating the corruption and injustice in Indonesia ............................................... 73 4.2 Digital media literacy as capacities to participate in the Save KPK movement ............... 74 4.2.1 Digital media use and platforms..................................................................................... 74 4.2.2 Critical understanding and analytical skills of digital media content .......................... 80 4.2.3 Using digital media in ethical ways ............................................................................ 89 4.2.4 Collaborative acts for mobilization with the coalition group of Save KPK .................. 91 4.2.5 Online security and privacy issues in Indonesian digital media platforms .................. 94 4.3 Digital media activism for the Save KPK movement ....................................................... 97 4.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 101 Chapter 5: Digital media activities in political participation and civic engagement: A study of Indonesian students ..................................................................................................................... 103 5.1 Digital media, Indonesian students and political participation .................................... 103 5.1.1 Maintaining the existence of the KPK institution ..................................................... 104 5.2.2 Pursuing a better political system without corruption ............................................. 105 5.2 The motivation for participating in politics and civic issues in Indonesia ..................... 106 5.2.1 Belief in making change for a better Indonesia ........................................................ 106 5.2.2 Interest in certain topics that trigger participation .................................................. 110 5.3 Digital media literacy by student leaders and students of non-member organisations 111 5.3.1 Digital media use and platforms .............................................................................. 112 5.3.2 Critical understanding and analytical skills of digital media content ........................ 117 5.3.3 Creating digital media content with creativity and innovation ................................ 119 5.3.4 Using digital media in ethical ways .......................................................................... 125 5.3.5 Collaborative acts of mobilization ........................................................................... 130 5.3.6 Online security and privacy issues in Indonesian digital media platforms ...............