Rethinking the Role of Technology in Elections: A Critical Analysis

The recent election in Indonesia witnessed a substantial increase in the utilization of technology, significantly influencing both the campaign itself and the voting process. Although some individuals derived benefits from these technological developments, others expressed apprehensions about their effects on the democratic process.

One noteworthy application of technology was the utilization of generative artificial intelligence to alter Prabowo Subianto’s public image, portraying him as a more relatable personality. This exemplifies the influential capacity of technology in reshaping political communication, a phenomenon previously unprecedented in past elections. Additionally, social media platforms such as TikTok played a pivotal role in broadening the campaign’s outreach, with posts under the #Prabowo hashtag accumulating billions of views.

The election process also saw the integration of optical mark recognition (OMR) and optical character recognition (OCR) into the Sirekap system by the General Elections Commission (KPU). While these technological innovations possess the potential to streamline the vote-counting process, controversies have emerged due to erroneous data conversion. However, initiatives like KawalPemilu.org have empowered netizens to independently verify the vote count, fostering transparency in the electoral process.

Notwithstanding these advancements, it is evident that Indonesia still has considerable progress to make in fully integrating technology into its democratic procedures. For instance, Estonia has embraced electronic voting (e-voting) for over a decade, with more than half of the ballots in the 2023 parliamentary election cast electronically. This underscores the potential for technological innovation to reshape democratic practices.

While the 2024 election in Indonesia showcased the potential of technology, it also raised apprehensions. The widespread use of social media has been associated with superficial campaigns, and the KPU’s technology-enabled vote-counting process has been scrutinized for inaccuracies. These concerns underscore the importance of judiciously considering and regulating the role of technology in the electoral process.

In summary, the 2024 election in Indonesia has offered valuable insights into the influence of technology on democratic procedures. Although there are evident advantages to be gained from technological advancements, it is crucial to address the accompanying challenges and ensure that technology is prudently leveraged to uphold the integrity of the democratic process.