KAMIST
Pink, Green, and multiple “add yours” templates. Have they been swarming your Instagram feeds for the past few days? But why?
Indonesia is currently facing a national problem that arises from many issues. Starting from poor economic conditions, reckless tax increases that burden the people, unsympathetic remarks by Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR), and the peak of it all, unnecessary salary and allowance increase for DPR when they have already been living a lavish lifestyle. This resulted in demonstrations by the people of Indonesia. However, their voices remained unheard. Instead, during that demonstration, the Indonesian Mobile Brigade Corps (BRIMOB) ran over an innocent online motorcycle taxi driver, Affan Kurniawan, using a tactical vehicle. Upon hearing the news, Indonesians grew even more furious as it looked like it was done on purpose.
People started demanding justice from the government and many chose social media as their battleground. Interestingly enough, news regarding the late Affan Kurniawan’s accident first surfaced also with the help of social media. With over half of the Indonesian population online, this issue quickly gained the attention and sympathy of many people, including public figures, influencers, and Indonesians living abroad.
Instagram, especially their “add yours” feature, became THE tool for raising awareness regarding the injustice that has been happening. Using Instagram as the main platform, a group of Indonesians created the “17+8 Tuntutan Warga” movement. These demands were then amplified by the “add yours” feature where millions of accounts have been reached with hundreds and thousands of shares. The involvement of big Indonesian creators, such as Ferryy Irwandi, Salsa Erwina, and Jerome Polin also boosted people’s awareness about Indonesia’s current condition. Furthermore, the color palette “Brave Pink and Hero Green”, which originated from iconic figures during the demonstration, also emerged as a response and now is widely used when people are voicing out concerns about Indonesia. An initiative to turn one’s profile picture green and pink also further amplified the message for justice.
Many efforts have been made, but the big question is… Why do Indonesians spread awareness through social media? Why is it important? Is it effective? Let’s break it down!
Living in a digital era where social media is common practice, it becomes the easiest and most accessible platform to reach many people at the same time. In a national emergency scenario, social media also enables people to reach global audiences and seek help from them. In parallel with offline efforts, many Indonesians believe it is important to keep voicing out their concerns through social media to catch the attention of the government and keep each other updated on the current condition. It is also seen as a symbol of power for something that might seem small, but can become impactful when done collectively.