Indonesia, Singapore Voters Still Trust Legacy Media
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- Reuters Institute Digital News Report found global trust in news fell to 37%, the lowest since 2015, with social media and video platforms overtaking news websites and apps across markets; a separate Eurobarometer survey found two in three EU users seek political information on social media and more than one-third follow influencers.
- Indonesia's 2024 election panel survey found television remained the most accessed source of election news, followed by WhatsApp and face-to-face conversation, while nearly nine in ten respondents said they never accessed print media.
- Singapore's 2025 general election saw digital versions of CNA, The Straits Times, and Lianhe Zaobao rank among the most used and trusted sources, with television the second most trusted medium across demographics.
- TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Instagram dominated political content for Indonesian voters aged 15-24, while nearly one-third of all Singapore voters consumed podcasts daily during election time.
- Indonesian debate viewers split roughly evenly in attention: about half watched full presidential debates, but 60% watched only post-debate clips that significantly shaped candidate perceptions.
- The Prabowo-Gibran campaign used AI to create viral "Gemoy" cartoons and engagement-driven satire — not outright disinformation but subtle propaganda harder to regulate, as Indonesia's Electronic Information and Transactions Law and Election Law do not address generative AI use in elections.
- Singapore passed the Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) (Amendment) Act in 2024 to counter digitally manipulated content, while Indonesia's January 2025 court ruling banning excessive alteration of candidate images came only after the election had taken place.
Why it matters: Singapore's proactive 2024 amendment on digitally manipulated election advertising contrasts with Indonesia's legal vacuum, where the EIT Law and Election Law do not cover generative AI and nearly half of respondents were unaware of video-editing software — leaving Indonesian voters measurably more exposed to AI-driven manipulation even as legacy media brands retain trust.
